Forever Yours
by ForeverPercabeth
Summary: It has been four years ever since we knew each other and I knew that those four years were the best years of my life. But I didn't know that it would hurt so much to watch him with those other girls until I saw him... All Human! Previously named Secrets and Lies.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson but I really do want it for Christmas. I wonder...**

Four years.

It has been four years since I started my friendship with one of the hottest guys in our school. Four years since I have been seeing him suck at other girls faces. Four years since every single day of my life was left incomplete. Four years of waiting for the single moment where he and I would be together.

My name is Annabeth Chase and my best friend in the entire world is named Percy Jackson. We were exact opposites but we hang-out so easily, talk so smoothly, smile so frequently. There was only one problem in our relationship, just one tiny detail that has been bothering me ever since we met.

I think I was falling for him.

I know it was possible for me to feel such a thing towards a guy I practically trust with my life and ever since I first saw him, like the moment we laid eyes on each other, I saw that spark, that connection, that chemistry. He was probably stupid enough not to, though, but I didn't mind. I liked seeing him happy with me and maybe an intimate relationship can ruin what we already have.

"Annabeth, are you alright?" Percy's cousin and my other best friend, Thalia, asked. "You haven't said a word"

He was looking at me in a way that would make my heart melt. God, why do I feel this way? He's my best friend for crying out loud! I can't love my best friend like this. I will ruin the delicate balance that has been placed upon us. But still, I can't ignore it when my heart did a little leap as he reached out to touch my hand. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking"

"You think way too much, Wise Girl" he managed, laughing before turning back to his food.

I just have to admit it to myself before I can tell it to him. We promised each other that we will keep no secrets and ever since then, he's been telling me every single thing that happened in his life in full detail. We built this friendship in trust and openness and I want to keep it that way.

"Percy" I called once lunch was over and we were walking back to class.

"Yeah?" he looked at me with his beautiful sea green eyes and I almost forgot what I was going to tell him.

I sighed and pulled him to the most private place I know, the only place no one- and I mean absolutely no one but us- knows about. The rooftop garden. "I have to tell you something" I said, facing my back towards him. I don't want to look him in the eye for this confession because maybe I wasn't ready to see his reaction.

"What is it?" he sounded concerned and I almost laughed at how very Percy it was. He cares about others more than he cares about himself. "Did anyone hurt you?"

A shake of my head got a sigh of relief out of his mouth. "Then what is it?" he asked

I bit my lip, trying hard not to choke on the words "It's something I've been thinking of for a while now and I'm just afraid that maybe, you don't feel the same way."

"Annabeth, what are you trying to say?" he was afraid of the answer, I can sense that he was.

I took a shaky breath and held my arms. This was harder than I thought it would. "Percy, I think…" I paused for effect, "I think I love you"

He was stunned, unmoving when I faced him. I was almost scared when he took his first step, his mouth opening and closing as if he had something to say but isn't sure how to say it.

What Seaweed Brain did next surprised me more than I could ever imagine. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me full on the lips. I have always dreamt of this day but waved it off as something that would never happen. And it was better than what I imagined it to be, better than I ever thought was possible.

His lips, God, his lips. The same lips that talked me in on doing something was good for me but was afraid of doing it. The same lips that comforted me when all those people mocked me and bullied me. They were soft and warm and angelic, like getting a kiss from heaven itself. They were moving so professionally against my untrained ones but I tried my best to kiss him back, to kiss all the pain away.

"I love you, too, Wise Girl" he said with a smile, pressing his forehead to mine.

We decided not to tell anyone at all. I was afraid of being judged, afraid that they would find a way to permanently separate us. Whenever girls would ask if he has a girlfriend or not, he would say yes and mutter the name that I was supposed to have. It wasn't a complete lie, knowing that was my other name but there was also the fact that I was keeping something from Thalia and I never liked that.

**I hope you like it! Please Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

We were "studying" in his room when I realized that he was really serious about this, that he really did love me. I never thought that it was every possible for him to feel that way, especially with all those girls he's been with. He has this reputation of being a player, a heart breaker, but I know he just made that as an excuse from being with the wrong girl.

"Thalia, she wanted us girls to go camping this weekend. Do you think I should go?" I asked in between kisses.

He pulled away just a little to look at me with a raised eyebrow but a tentative smile. "Yeah, you should. You know how she is, always searching for a worthy reason as to why you can't go"

I placed my head gently on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat that has calmed me so many times before. His arms were around me in his protective boyfriend kind of way but I didn't mind. I've always wanted to be the center of a man's attention and I never thought that I would get that from the guy I've had a crush on ever since I was twelve.

"You're gonna miss me" I teased, moving on top of him. But he shook his head, trying to hide the smile that has once again been imprinted on his flawless face. "Don't deny it!" I scolded.

Then he started laughing, holding my cheeks with both hands. "You're crazy" there was a pause, "That's why I love you" it was a whisper, enough for me to hear but not enough for those who are probably eavesdropping to. So I kissed him again, just because I can, and ran my hand through his hair until it rest on the back of his neck. It was something I have never done before. He was my first kiss but I know that I wasn't his. The idea of it filled me with jealousy but I know his loyalty won't make him break-up with me.

He helped me pack the night before the whole trip. Thalia expects me to be at her house by six in the morning and we were trying to keep the goodbyes short, as much as I hated it. He decided that it would be best if he just helps me pack, knowing he can sneak in kisses when he can.

"I'll find a way to call you" I told him while his lips were on my neck, travelling to my collarbone. The feeling was inexplicably nice. "I don't care if I have to climb a mountain to."

He moaned at this one, holding me tight. "Just try, okay?" he pleaded, his artistic hands creeping under my top.

I nodded and looked at the door, knowing that Bobby and Matthew can easily open it to find us making-out on the floor. Then they would tell mom and mom would kick Percy out. So I locked it, before moving to his lap and pulling his shirt up above his head and throwing it to the other side of the room.

I've always liked the sight of his upper body, knowing that it was swimming and football that got him this fit. His abs were visible and he smiled as I traced my fingers on them. I don't care if I lose what has to be in the borders of marriage right now. I just want to be with him in a way I never even thought about.

Along the line, my shirt joined his in the corner. I had to contain the thrill that was threatening to overcome me once our bare chests pressed together. I just don't want him to forget this moment, knowing he hasn't done this before. I loved him, that was what I was sure of and I want this to be as memorable as it could be.

And that was when we did the unthinkable.

**I know it's pretty short but I'll make it long when I get the chance. Thank you guys for the support and please Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

He had to leave at about 8:30 pm but he made sure that he said his goodbyes, kissed me endlessly until I had to push him out of my door. I was still sore from the activity but I don't think I could take the actually feeling of him inside me. I wasn't ready to be a mother and what I did was still a huge step. I was just glad that we muffled every single scream, cry, sigh, and whimper that usually would escape our mouths. If mom would find out about this, she would make sure to make this house a Percy free environment.

That night, I slept with the idea of him and me getting married and starting a family together. That's how teenage fantasies would go, especially female ones. They would dream of being with their prince, him professing his love for her, and they would live happily ever after. I know that many girls from my school would dream of Percy as is and I was thankful that he was mine to keep.

The next morning, I had to wake up at 5:15. I sat up, feeling the soreness that seeped through my body before grabbing my robe that was hanging on the foot of my bed, wearing it and heading to the bathroom. After that, I dressed to short shorts and a short sleeved, button-down, collared shirt that Percy picked out for me. He said I looked 'sexy' in it so I teased him if I really did or if he was just saying that. He kissed me as his answer before picking out the rest of my clothes. Okay, so back to reality. Annabeth, don't think of Percy when you know that you're not going to see him the entire weekend.

"Annabeth, honey, Thalia's waiting in front of the house!" My dad called outside. I cursed inwardly before tying my hair into a high ponytail and putting on my hiking boots, grabbing my backpack and running outside my room.

"What took you so long, Annie?" she asked as I sat beside her. "Overslept?"

"You were earlier than I expected." Was my answer. It was the truth and I was hoping that she knew it was the truth. "So, where is this oh so secret camping spot you will bring us to?"

Thalia was smiling as she nudged me, knowing that I might as well have been lying to her. It was really my fault that I wasn't paying that much attention when I was getting ready. It's been three days seen Percy and I are having this secret relationship and it feels dangerous to keep something this serious to Thalia. I almost missed her answer to my question, "You'll see" Well, that wasn't what I was hoping for at all.

I reached in my pocket hoping to find anything I could chew on to see a note. I don't remember putting any letter in there so it got me a little curious. "What is it?" my best friend asked. I shook my head and read it briefly.

_Annabeth,_

_I'm gonna miss you like crazy. You don't know how much. But I hope you call me, even if you just try to._

_Forever,_

_SB_

_PS: I love you_

Seaweed Brain. I snorted but smiled otherwise, putting it back in my pocket. Well actually, I tried to. When it was seconds away from being where it should be, Thalia took it from my grasp and took one quick look at it before looking at me suspiciously. "Who's SB?" was her question.

"None of your business, Thals" I said, taking it back from her and putting it back.

Silena joined in the moment she entered the car. Her honey blonde hair tied to low pigtails and her bright blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight. She's always been so pretty and I never thought that I would be jealous of her until now. "Come on, Annabeth, who is he?"

"A guy I've been seeing since Wednesday, okay."

"Name?"

I kept my lips sealed. Percy and I aren't ready to go public yet, especially with people like Silena breathing down your neck. She's practically been trying to pair me up with someone but mostly forced Percy and me in a room together. Before, we kept it formal. Now, we would probably go out with most of our clothes torn apart. "Private info"

"You know we're not going to stop until you tell us the truth"

"Well, I guess you have to keep this on forever because I'm not going to tell you"

"Is it Luke?" Well, I did have a crush on Luke Castellan before but why would he have the initials SB?

I looked at her and shook my head, "Luke's initials aren't SB"

They shared some looks before stating every single guy with those initials but they never even thought of Percy's nickname. He was smart enough not to write his actual initials on it. Huh, after all these years of friendship, I was _finally _rubbing off on him. Finally! "Is it Steven Burkely?"

"No" why would I fall for a guy like Steven, knowing that he was nothing more than a jerk who thinks he's better than everyone. Uh, no thanks.

"How about Sean Barns?"

God, anyone but that guy. Why do the guys that my closest friends stated were all the guys I despised? "You should give up while you're ahead"

Once we picked up everyone (Piper, Katie, Clarisse, and Juniper), Thalia blabbered on about the note. As much as I have that feeling inside me that told me that they were going to find out soon enough, I can't find the guts to tell them. I know they will support it, I'm just afraid that they might think it was a bad idea. There was this possibility that this relationship won't work out and we ended up not talking to each other again. I would rather die than let that happen.

"Come on, Wise Girl" Clarisse teased lightly. "Just tell us. We're not going to make this weekend as peaceful as it should be"

"Guys, just lay off her. It's not her fault she won't tell us who her boyfriend is" Juniper was the best, honestly. That was the only thing I could say about her. She was the best, knowing that she's going to defend what she knows is right. And invading other people's privacy is so against her rule in life.

We all looked at Piper because she was the only one who hasn't said anything at all. She's a year younger than me and dating Thalia's younger brother, Jason. He and Percy were tight, and I mean tight. They were practically brothers, counting Nico. I would be surprised if he didn't give them a hint on what we were hiding right now. Wow, this got a whole lot more complicated. "I think Juniper's right. If she doesn't want to say anything, why force her?"

"You're lucky I don't care much about my little bro's life. If I did, I could be nagging you about how stupid he really is"

I don't know why I was friends with athletes. Percy and Jason both have their own fan clubs. They may not be good in academics but when it comes to sports, they were the only hope my school has. Then, there's Nico. He and Thalia were almost unbreakable. They've been together for about a year now and they've known each other since the seventh grade. Another guy is Charles Beckendorf, Silena's never changing boyfriend. He plays basketball, to describe him the best. But he always had that talent in arts and crafts. The others were along that line.

"Look, we had this trip to be away from the guys. Why don't we do what we have to and forget them for now?" Katie was right.

Soon, there was silence. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft purr of the engine and the music from the radio. It was playing "Lucky" by Jason Mraz now and Thalia looked as if something just hit her as hard as an anvil in the head.

"Seaweed Brain" she mused, "SB's for Seaweed Brain"

They all looked at me expectantly and I shrugged, trying so hard not to think of him. "Thalia, think of what you're saying. Percy, do you really think I would fall for someone like Percy" I tried so hard to stay calm and cool and I was glad that she was buying it.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Plus, Percy said he does have a girlfriend. I wonder why we haven't met her yet"

Piper looked confused, as if she hasn't heard about this. "What's her name?"

"Someone named Cassandra. She studies in another school that's why we haven't seen her"

"But how did they meet?"

She shrugged and I almost sighed in relief. This was probably the greatest part of this whole trip.

I stared at the vast Atlantic, the color of Percy's eyes and just as beautiful. The way the sun was reflected in the water made my heart throb in the pain of being far away from him. It was something I couldn't stop thinking about, especially when everything I could see was sea water. He loves being in the water, loves the beach. That was his passion, swimming and he's always found a way to pursue it. The moment I found out that he was already the captain of the swim team, I was so happy for him and watch him train every single day since that moment.

"Tell me the truth, Annabeth." Silena said as she held my hand. That got me out of my trance. "Do we know this guy?"

"Yes" I croaked, "You do" I was in no mood to lie even if I know that I was practically living one each day.

She gave me a look, similar to the one she gave Thalia when she refused to tell us about her and Nico. This was the look I cannot ignore and I had to say the truth unless I want her to hate me forever. "I trust you" she said softly, "But I don't want you to get hurt. So you have to tell me who he is"

"I can't."

She nodded before pulling her hand back and staring on the car's left, where the only thing you could see were trees. "I believe you" she muttered and I sighed in relief, knowing my friendship with her isn't over yet.

**There is nothing I want more in the world than having Nico Di Angelo for Christmas. Well, I hope you liked this one because there's a lot more to come! Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

The place was amazing. The most beautiful camping spot I have ever been to. And believe me, I have been to a lot. In the distance, you could hear the smooth flowing of a river that was probably connected to the beach. It was peaceful, very peaceful, and there was absolutely no sound but eventual croaking of frogs and chirping of birds.

"I can't believe you found this place" Juniper gasped as she fingered a tree trunk.

But my best friend just smiled, "Come on, let's set up camp."

The afternoon sun was burning the nape of my neck and I was sure that it would sting for a really long time. Every one of us was doing our best not to regret the boys' absence and I am mad at Thalia for not even letting Percy tag along. If he had, he wouldn't let me get tired like this. Silena wasn't any help either. She was just filing her nails and occasionally throwing a twig to the camp fire we haven't lit yet. Actually, that was more than what we expected from her.

"See, all done" I said, looking at my masterpiece that was in front of me. The tent was pitched perfectly and it took me one good hour to do so.

Thalia was trying her best to lighten our mood but she knows that we needed other people in her so called 'Girls camping trip'

"Fine. If you need them so much, I'll just call them." She cursed under her breath before pulling out her phone. Almost as fast as I could blink, she has dialed Percy's number and was calling him to come here this instant.

I tried so hard to hide that smile on my face and I knew that I was doing well with it until Juniper nudged me. I rolled my eyes at her and nudged her back before sitting down on a felled log drawing random patterns on the soil with a stick. "I asked Percy to get the guys and come here. He and Jason know where this is so it wouldn't be a problem"

"Oh my god, Thalia, you don't know how happy I am to hear you say that!" Silena squealed in excitement. Suddenly, she was already putting on make-up on her face and trying really hard to make herself presentable for her boyfriend, probably.

"Silena, you don't have to try. Beck wouldn't mind seeing you naturally pretty" Piper mused to her sister. Believe it or not, they were siblings, though Piper took on more of her father and Silena, her mother.

She completely ignored the statement and continued to put on light blue eye shadow on her eyelids, smiling as she looked at herself in the mirror, added a dash of mascara and little eyeliner before putting the kit back in her bag. "When do you expect them to be here?"

Thals looked at her watch (she wasn't wearing one) and counted with her fingers. "Oh in about…" she paused, thinking. "Now"

As if on cue, the guys hopped out of what looked like Beckendorf's pick-up carrying bags of their own. Percy greeted Thalia with a small, sensible smile before hugging me tightly. "How did you get here so fast?"

"Charlie here knows a shortcut. I was surprised you didn't take it"

His cousin waved it off before planting a soft kiss on Nico's lips. I winced at the sight, knowing I can't do that in public right now with Percy. This is the worst torture I have ever gone through in my entire life. Actually, the rest of the guys were already groping on their girls and I bit my tongue not to do the same. He seemed to see my expression before whispering something to my ear, "Later"

Unconsciously, I smiled at this. It was better than nothing and I was glad that he really did want it as much as I do. "Come on guys, we came here to have some mother nature bonding time." My boyfriend coaxed.

"He is right" Grover muttered as he pulled away from Juniper. "But what do you think we're supposed to do? The girls practically did everything we're supposed to"

"When my parents, Jason, Thalia, and I went here when I was twelve, I sorta got lost and ended up seeing this cliff. You could practically see everything from there. I didn't get to show it to them, though"

"Why don't you do it now?" Jason almost pleaded.

He smiled before taking my hand and pulling me to the forest with them following suit.

I was kinda surprised on the outward display of affection but I realized that Percy and I held hands before and this wasn't any different from them but I was blushing along the way, not very different from before. He turned to me once and smiled his usual smile. "You're gonna love it." He said before tugging me along the trees, slow enough for our friends to catch up on us but fast enough to notice that he was really psyched about this.

And what I saw stopped me dead on my tracks.

There it was, the perfect view of the ocean. The waves rolling up the shore calmly. To my right, you could see nothing but tree tops and sometimes long winding rivers that would probably be connected to the water. The birds were flying peacefully in the sky, eventually hearing their eventual chirps of greeting. Though the sun was probably at its highest, it didn't seem to bother me anymore. I could already feel the cool sea breeze brushing on my skin and I closed my eyes at the feeling, breathing in the scent of it.

"It's beautiful" was the only thing I could say as I looked at him. "So beautiful"

He was looking at me, his eyes filled with obvious love. "I can't believe you're finally mine" he murmured, almost inaudible. It was nice hearing that from him, knowing his sincerity was at its peak as he did.

"We can't keep this forever" I told him, a sad smile on my face.

He sighed and stared at the sky. "We'll tell them, don't worry. But not now. It's better if we do it when they're ready"

"Who's ready for what?" I almost jumped in surprise but remained calm and collected inside.

Percy didn't answer for a while so Thalia repeated her question.

"Oh, you were asking me" Percy said, his hand rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "No, I was wondering when the right time to introduce you to Cas is. You know I don't trust you to meet her just yet."

Apparently, he's been practicing his lying because he was really convincing. It was as if he's been practicing this line ever since we started going out secretly. I understood why he felt like that. He may have been afraid of being judged. I still think it's better to tell them soon than let them find out by themselves. Thalia won't stand for that, knowing that she may have trusted me with her cousin or the other way around and we decide to fool around.

Memories of last night flashed through my head and I tried hard not to blush, failing miserably. So what I did was I hid it instead and stared at the ocean, where the outline of what seemed to be another island was in the distance. I liked the sight since it was the first time I've been actually at peace.

"Why are you blushing, Wise Girl?" Percy teased, nudging me on the shoulder. But his eyes knew the reason why. We were practically thinking of the same thing.

Silena cooed in the background and most of the guys were catcalling at me as if they found the idea very impossible. "Ooh, thinking about your 'secret admirer' now are you" she said the word with finger quotes and I blushed wilder, handing Percy the letter that he wrote to me in a completely different handwriting.

"So, who do you think SB is?" Seaweed Brain asked as he handed it back to me. He had this look in this eye that said that he couldn't keep up the act as much as I can. This was tearing him to pieces and I was feeling the exact same way.

If he doesn't kiss me in the next thirty seconds, I'm going to start crying. I can't even handle five minutes without making out, let alone an entire weekend. So I had to take a whole lot of calm, collective breaths not to pounce on him and press his lips to mine. That wasn't the greatest thing to do and Thalia would hate me for lying to her. So will Silena and we've been friends since forever. I can't stand it when she's angry at me.

"She won't tell…" Clarisse said as she intertwined her fingers with Chris. "But I bet she would tell you."

"Uh, no I won't"

Percy rolled his eyes at me before giving me his puppy dog look- which is so cute it should be illegal. "Come on, pretty please"

I shook my head, "Maybe later" I mused, considering the name that I could possibly tell him.

The rest went back to camp but I swear Piper was looking at me suspiciously. Thankfully, she was pulled back by Jason, probably wanting to make-out with her.

We sat at the edge and stared at what seemed to be the never ending ocean. "So who is SB?"

"I think you know"

He smirked and placed his hand on top of mine. "Yeah, I think I do"

Suddenly, Percy did the stupidest thing and climbed down the very unsafe terrain. He pointed to a cave nearby and I smiled at him, taking his outstretched hand. We took it slowly, knowing there was this really big possibility that whatever we were holding on to would eventually crumble a few minutes later. So we had to test where we stepped at and walked rather carefully to probably the most private spot in this camping trip.

His lips were on mine the moment we were hidden, kissing me so passionately that it made my eyes droop at the sensation. Well that and my heart melt until it was a large pool of liquid at my feet. My hands were around his neck, feeling his jet black hair in my fingertips. It felt nice, to finally feel free to do what we were really supposed to, making up for the many hours we have been separated.

Eventually, we had to pull away for air, his forehead pressed gently to mine as he gave me a quick peck on the nose. "I love you" he confessed. "So much"

I let out a few tears before hugging him tightly, feeling so invulnerable with him to protect me. "I love you, too. More than you could ever imagine" it may have sounded cliché or a little too corny but that was how I really felt. He was the only guy who has ever given me this feeling. He was the only guy who I had to please and the only one who I never really have to try to please since he's always found me perfect. He was the only guy I have ever loved like this.

We eventually found it best to sit down on the cold stone floor, resting in each other's arms. He was muttering random words to my ear, sometimes telling me stories before I even met him. "My dad, he asked me to try to drive his boat once when I was eleven. I was so excited I almost slapped myself silly just to wake up from the dream" I laughed and looked at him in the eye, placing a soft kiss on his perfect lips.

But we know this has to end soon. The moment he brought up our friends, I frowned. I don't want to come back there, knowing I don't have the freedom to do what I want to do with my boyfriend. "What happened last night?" It was the first time we ever talked about it, ever since it happened.

His beautiful sea green eyes look distant, staring at the crashing waves against the entrance. "No regrets, right?" he whispered, looking at me with features filled with love.

I nodded, placing my head on the crook of his neck. "No regrets" I agreed, fingering the hem of his shirt.

It was already about sunset when we decided to go back. If Thalia sends a search party after us, I know we would be doomed. So it was the best time to look at the sky once more and give him another soft peck. "By the way, we both know that we aren't lying about us dating someone else. I am with Cassandra Chase and you're with Seaweed Brain, so we're not technically lying to them right?" he looked nervous, as if lying to his cousin was the worst thing he could have done. Actually, it is.

"There you guys are" Katie said playfully, as if she was asking where we really went to. "We were getting worried"

"I had to show her the waterfall so we hiked all the way there, rested for a while and came back" he mused nonchalantly as he sat beside Nico with me at his left.

"So, did she tell you who SB is?" Silena asked hopefully. I know what she was thinking. If she can't get the answers out of me, she can probably get it out of Percy's.

He didn't answer for a second, his nose twitching in distaste as he saw what seemed to be a worm wriggling out of the earth. "Yeah, she did"

My theory was soon proven correct since every one of them asked my boyfriend who my secret admirer was. But he kept shaking his head, hiding that small smile that was playing on his lips. I was glad that they weren't that swollen after our make-out session so they didn't suspect that we did anything other than talk, like we used to. "I have specific orders from Ms. Chase that I cannot tell you anything." He answered in a very serious yet teasing tone. I hid my gasp at how sexy he sounded, trying so hard to control that needy feeling in my gut.

"And what will happen when you accidentally let that slip"

Percy looked at me with feign horror and I slapped him playfully in the arm but tried hard not to kiss him on the cheek. It was something all of us were somehow waiting for, just one sign of affection other than our usual physical assaults. They just need proof that Percy and I are together and that Cassandra and SB did not exist.

To their disappointment, I gave them none.

Apparently, they kept up with the camping traditions with the Stoll brothers sharing really boring scary stories that would probably give a child a peaceful night's sleep. It was so cliché, saying there were monsters in the woods when we perfectly know there weren't. Maybe there were bears but they're more afraid of us than we are of them. Plus, most bears have few natural enemies. And humans are not part of them.

It was something we had gotten used to over the years of being friends with them. They were a whole lot of trouble but can be really fun. "Come on, who has a better story?"

"Why are we doing this anyways?"

Suddenly, there was this ringing sound coming from Percy. He sighed and picked up his phone, excusing himself from the rest of us before heading to the forest alone.

I decided to follow him. Since we don't really have any secrets at all from each other, what's the harm of stalking your best friend? "Yes, I'm fine. It's not like they're going to hurt me… You know I can't do that, she's important to me in ways you don't understand… Don't you dare say that again, Rachel, I swear to God if you ever call her that again… Just don't call me … Whatever. I'm not going to break-up with her to be with someone like you… Don't even try, okay..." And with that, he hung up, looking pretty pissed.

"Let me guess, Rachel Dare?" she was that one of a kind school slut who wants both Percy and a major in art. She was even trying to steal what I do best (architecture) from me. I hated her so much not because she once dated my boyfriend but because she even had the guts to call him after one year.

He looked at me in alarm but nodded, stuffing his phone in his pocket. "You're unbelievable, you do know that right?" I muttered, kissing him softly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" he waved it off as if it was some kind of disappointing feature about himself.

That was when I heard the gasp that came from the tree behind us.

It was Piper, thank God. She was a little quieter than her sister, a little more trustworthy to keep a secret. There was just one thing… She never hides anything from Jason. The moment she experiences something that is supposed to be told, he is the first one she would go to. And Jason can easily tell this to Thalia and she could tell it to Silena. The next thing you know, the whole school is siding in what seems to be the best about this relationship.

I pulled her wrist and pushed her against the trunk, covering her mouth. She looked so scared, as if she knew what I can do to her. And Percy was here too so she will most probably go out of here without any physical bruises but emotional ones. "Piper" I breathed, my breath hoarse. "Piper, don't panic" she nodded and her breathing turned even but that look hasn't even considered vanishing.

"We're not going to hurt you" Percy said, his voice very sincere. How I could kiss him right then and there.

She nodded again, biting her lower lip. "Just swear that you're not going to tell anyone. Or that you'll ever forget this ever happened, please"

"Why are you even hiding this? Silena's been trying to make Percabeth a reality for four years now so why are you trying?"

I sighed and played with the end of my hair. I do this when I'm nervous, especially if I have to answer questions like this. "They're not ready. This might be too big for them to absorb right away" my boyfriend was a life saver. I don't know what I'm going to do without him.

She peacefully agreed before starting to walk away, "Pipes, none of this ever happened, okay?"

"None of what ever happened?" she asked, feigning confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about"

A smile was given in thanks before she disappeared in the darkness.

We made sure that there was no one but us before Percy pushed me against the very same tree trunk and pressed his lips to mine, soft and pliant. And my fingers lingered down to the small of his back, one of the most sensitive parts of him. We were playing truth or dare before and he just sorta said it. It was like his pressure point or something, where electricity would flood his whole being when pressed too hard.

His palm cupped my cheek and we were both devouring each other with kisses, our tongues in a never ending battle. I don't care if I get sick, whether it's serious or not. I just want to tell Percy how much he means to me, how much I care about him. "I love you" he whispered, breathless.

"I know" I replied, "I love you, too"

We walked back to the campsite about five minutes after the make-out session. I wanted to recover and go out like I went in. Piper acted as if she has never seen anything earlier and she was talking to Jason, giggling softly at some joke he probably shared.

I never thought that I would be sharing tents with him. Thalia figured we were already very much comfortable sleeping in the same bed (once! It happened once! Well twice if you count last night), I think it's ideal for us to share the smallest tent. It wasn't like I minded though since the picture of his naked body was already imprinted on the back of my head. So, as for the moment, I was mentally satisfied.

"Let's play a game" Thalia announced, holding what seemed to be a bottle.

I am not going to play that game ever again. The last time that happened, I had to kiss Travis then Jason. I was not going to let history repeat itself. And I did the most sensible thing and excused myself, saying that I was tired and headed to my tent.

Honestly, it wasn't that bad. It was cozy, that's for sure and wasn't _that _small so we could move a little, rearranging ourselves unconsciously. I sat down on the mat and pulled out a pocketbook I've been reading since yesterday. Okay, so maybe it wasn't ideal for me to read during a camping trip, knowing there are so many things to do but…

"Hey, you okay?" It was Katie and I wasn't very surprised to see that she came to check up on me. She does that, even when she didn't need to.

I nodded, turning on the flashlight that was sitting right beside me. "Yeah, I'm fine. What made you say I wasn't?" Of course I felt better than fine. I just had a heated make-out session with one of the hottest guys in school. Why wouldn't I be fine?

"I don't know. You seem distracted… Is this about the guy you're dating?"

"Maybe" I muttered, turning to the page I stopped at. "But he's not here at the moment so why be bothered." It wasn't a lie since I never really specified where _here _really was.

She sighed and looked at the ceiling. "You can trust me, Annabeth." Katie said, her eyes looking sincere.

Seeing that look on her face made me guilty that I kept something from her. But I know she was just luring me in, that she might as well be the tool that got the truth out of everyone. "There's not much to say" I told her honestly. My standards of not much were very specific. If there was something that happened, maybe a car accident or a death of a family member, that was an exception. But as of now, there wasn't much to say.

"Come on, Annabeth. This is your love life!" she was exaggerating. I know she was. It was as if I really cared about how that part of my life was probably least of my priorities.

I shook my head and continued reading, ignoring her desperate attempts for me to spill. Maybe she was dared to do this, to get the information out of me and tell me that maybe there was something she needed to know bad. "Katie, you know I can't tell you. I'm not ready to"

She looked disappointed but nodded, smiling kindly. "I'm sorry if I made it uncomfortable"

"It's fine" I replied, copying her tone. "I don't mind"

Katie nodded and stepped out of my tent, replaced by my boyfriend. "Hey" he said

"Hey"

"What are you up to?" he asked me, looking over to what I was reading.

The book was written by Nicholas Sparks, entitled _The Notebook_. It is probably one of the most beautiful novels I have ever read and maybe there was this possibility that Percy and I could relate to Allie and Noah. I know it wasn't like me to read something so short for like two days already but it was probably because I had a lot to worry about and a lot to do that I never had the chance to continue.

"Could you close it?" I requested, placing my bookmark on the page I have ended. "I have to change"

He nodded and zipped the tent close. After, he sat beside me and handed my bag. But I specifically requested that he give me his. He was confused, at first, but eventually understood what I meant. I got one of his black t-shirts and boxers before closing it again and placing it in the corner.

I unbuttoned my shirt and gingerly handed it to him, giving him a really good view of my breasts. I didn't mind that he was staring since it wasn't as if he didn't see them already. I put on his shirt and tied my hair to a messy bun before slipping the shorts from my legs and replaced them with his boxers.

"Don't you have clothes of your own, Wise Girl?" he whispered to my ear, pinning me against the floor. "Or are you just teasing me that I don't get to do what I can to you" this was said to the skin on my neck, his lips travelling to my jaw. I bit my lip that I could prevent myself from moaning at the feeling.

"Please, don't do this" I pleaded. I don't want to give in to the temptation that has suddenly exposed itself in front of me. Especially when I know that we couldn't continue this at all. He was mocking me, telling me that I will give in sooner or later. "I don't want…"

The thought trailed off when his hands went under the shirt he owned that I was wearing and rubbed my stomach, his mouth on the back of my neck.

But he understood when I almost cried and kissed me instead, on the lips. Just a soft one, enough for me to long for his talented hands inside me once again. "I love you, Annabeth" he whispered, his forehead pressed to mine and his breath on my face.

"Love you, too, Seaweed Brain" I replied in the same volume.

"Guys! Could you come out here for a second?" It sounded like Piper and I knew that maybe she was suspecting what we were doing.

I gulped and wiped my lips, hoping that whatever has happened to it will immediately disappear, well enough for it not to be noticed. Percy did the same, straightening his shirt and kissing me once again before unzipping the tent entrance and stepping out. I was just glad that I turned off the flashlight before they could see something they're not supposed to.

"What is it?" I asked sleepily, scratching my arm.

Thalia managed to give me her signature eye roll but pointed to the sky. The stars were shining brightly, almost impossible in New York City. You could even make out all the constellations. "It's beautiful" I gasped, almost inaudible.

"Never seen this much stars before, Wise Girl?" Clarisse asked

Many of us were already lying down on the cool, slightly moist forest floor and stared at the sky. I, on the other hand, sat up, with Percy's head placed lightly on my lap. The stars were uncountable, unlike the ones in the city. And they were shining so brightly, twinkling boldly as if there was nothing that could stop them from showing off the best of them.

Apparently, Silena Beauregard has managed to notice what I was currently wearing. She raised an eyebrow at it and lifted her head from Charlie's shoulder. "Where did you get that?" she was curious but not scolding me for not looking pretty when I am about to sleep. I know how camping trips go, eventually when everyone is trying to pull an all-nighter and then ended up going to dreamland earlier than expected.

I furrowed my eyebrows at her and Percy too seemed a little too amused by my reaction. "What do you mean? I've always had this"

"But why do you need it?"

I bit my lip, and tried hard not to search for answers in his eyes. "To get comfortable" I said in a duh tone. Most of the guys snickered at where this conversation will lead to but I ignored most of them and unconsciously started stroking my boyfriend's hair. It wasn't very unusual since I've been doing this to him since we were thirteen. He closed his eyes as my fingertips lingered to his jaw with my thumb stroking his cheek.

Piper looked as if she already knew where I got it and why I was wearing it. I mean, she does know more that she's supposed to and I know she's happy that we're finally together. She just doesn't know how _together_ we really were.

"Look guys, I'm getting sleepy and it's already like ten so can I please go to sleep?" Percy all but begged.

Thalia considered it for a second before waving him off. He smiled at him in thanks and tapped me twice on the shoulder before heading to our tent.

Juniper and Grover followed soon after, together with Jason and Piper. It was either because they wanted time alone or because they were really tired. Beck excused himself to bed too and his girlfriend smiled, kissing him softly before waving him off to the tent. So all that was left were me, Thalia, Silena, Travis, Katie, Connor, Nico, and Leo and we were not in the mood to talk about what we're supposed to.

"Seriously, Annabeth, what's with the outfit?" Leo, Piper's cousin, asked. _I knew I shouldn't have changed after we talked_, I thought. It was a stupid mistake, for me not to consider what's going to happen.

I skimmed my tongue on the inside of my cheek before twirling the ends of my hair between my fingertips. "Is it bad for a girl to possess these kinds of clothes?"

"They look like Percy's size, honestly" Silena pushed a little further.

But I took the moment to come up with a great reply, staring at the sky since it has helped me before. Well, maybe not as much as the ocean has but I can't walk all the way back to that cliff just because I needed to think. "It's my boyfriend's" I spit out almost three minutes after the question was asked.

They all looked at me with raised eyebrows and Thalia was the first to recover from the shock. "How did you get it?"

"Stole it from his closet"

"You mean SB? Whoever he is?" Katie questioned, looking a little surprised.

I nodded and shrugged. "Look, it's getting late. I should really get some sleep."

And with that, I stood and headed to the tent.

Why are boys so cute when they're asleep? I swear, his handsome face was so angelic, so peaceful that I didn't deserve to see such beauty. The next thing I noticed was the fact that we was wearing boxers and a white muscle t-shirt, making me drool over the way the sleeves were tight around his arms. I lowered my face to his ear and whispered those three words we've been saying to each other the moment we even started…

I settled myself beside him, resting my head gently on his chest. I was glad that I padlocked the entry shut so no one can make unexpected visits in the middle of the night and blackmail us because they did something while we were asleep. "I love you, too, Wise Girl" he mumbled back, kissing the top of my head lightly.

Sleep evaded me at that moment so I took the time to just be alone with my thoughts, letting them free flow from my brain. This week was so hectic, so spontaneous. Everything just happened for no apparent reason. Just last week I was staring at Percy make-out with another girl. And now, he was lying so he could make-out with me in peace. What kind of guy does that for a relationship that probably won't last forever? I'm just sure that we will try to go back to our state before we even considered all of this.

Soon, too soon, my eyes began to droop with the absolute tiresome day. I wasn't battling for it to stay open and I let out a small smile before I finally let sleep take its course.

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	5. Chapter 5

Waking up has always been my problem. Since I alarmed the phone at 6 am sharp, I had to wake up at 6 am sharp. I groaned as I got up and scratched my neck, knowing that it was probably from the bugs that possibly entered our very peaceful yet extremely small form of shelter. Percy, on the other hand groaned beside me and turned around so his back was facing me, muttering my name in his sleep. I smiled and pecked him on the cheek before stretching up.

I checked outside and saw that it was still quiet. The sun hasn't even started rising yet so we all had about thirty minutes to do what we have to. I turned to Percy and shook him, rather violently at that.

"Come on, Seaweed Brain" I coaxed.

"What?" he answered, almost grumpily. "It's still so early"

That got a smile out of me. It sounded so hot once he said so because his voice was all husky and groggy from sleep. I zipped it back and padlocked it shut before moving on top of him, my chin placed lightly on his muscled chest.

"That's the point" I mused, kissing the spot on his jaw. "They're all still asleep"

The moment he processed the entire meaning of what I said, he pressed his lips to mine insistently, moving in a gentle staccato. He was smiling the entire time, knowing that this was probably the only time where we're free to do whatever we wanted and he wanted to make the best of it.

Our tongues were battling for dominance a moment after and he looked as if he was winning. I wasn't letting him though. My pride does not let me lose something this important. I love how everything was just working out between us.

"Why can't we tell them? I don't care what they think about this. I'm sick and tired of always hiding when I want to kiss you." I sighed and placed my head on the crook of his neck.

"I-I'm not ready for something like that. We don't know what they would do." I paused, "What Rachel would do"

He shook his head, cupping my jaw so he would look at me in the eye, green against gray. "I will never dump you to be with someone like her. I will never dump you at all because you're the only girl who made me feel this way, the only one" it was said as a whisper but I could sense the boldness and the strength of each word.

"Thank you" I muttered and kissed him, just one more time.

Well, maybe not.

His lips were moving with mine in perfect harmony, perfect melody, as if we're born to do this to each other. He flipped us so now he was on top and was pinning me beneath him, making me wonder if he has ever gone this far with a girl other than me. Percy's beautiful sea green eyes were closed but I could tell that they were filled with love. I've never been so glad to be his. "Promise me that whatever happens to this relationship, we would still go back to being best friends?"

"I promise" it was pushed past my lips, his breathing turning a little harder because of lack of air. It wasn't that he really minded but because there was nothing more to do than just listen to his once steady heartbeat grow faster and faster, I had no other choice but to pull away just for a while.

He smiled, his hands moving to my sides as he moved his mouth to my neck, almost licking it. If there are going to be bruises there once we finished, I really have to make a good excuse. Since his shirt was a little loose, he can easily push the sleeve down my shoulder and kiss the patch of skin that has been newly exposed to the morning air. I closed my eyes at the feeling, soft and gentle but passionate at the same time. It may have been a little too overwhelming when he moved his lips back to mine and kissed me again.

"You don't know how happy I am" I told him

"I know" he said simply

"Maybe we can tell them soon, when we're ready"

He nodded, "I know"

"I love you" I confessed. Percy smiled at this one, kissing me with all of his might.

"I know" I thought that was the only thing he was going to say so I dismissed the thought of his reply as something invalid. But he added, "I love you, too"

We had to pull away to get dressed and once he pulled his shirt above his head, I had to control myself not to pounce on him. His figure was perfect, just like the rest of him. Mainly because of his training and the many sports he's been playing ever since he was a kid. He's a swimmer and I could expect him to reach the middle of the Pacific Ocean if there weren't any dangers to it.

But, much to my annoyance, he noticed the look I was giving him. "You like what you see?" he teased, "Or is it not enough for you?" The last one was said with a raised eyebrow and my eyes involuntarily went down to that single part of him that I have touched just once. Though it went back up to his face as soon as it saw the soft fabric of his boxers.

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain" I muttered

I slipped out of his clothes and crawled to the other side of the tent, where all our bags were located. Huh, this tent was bigger than I thought. But I had to make sure that he had a good view of my… Let's just say that I don't mind letting him see me in this state. We've done it before so what's the harm of doing it again?

A laugh escaped my mouth without my permission once I sat back down. "You like what you see?" I echoed, "Or is it not enough for you?"

He bit his lip and tried so hard not to stare. It has always been his weakness, knowing that he can't help himself when times like this happen. He has seen me in my underwear before we even started dating but that was because I was trying out something for a really important party my family was attending and he was the only one available. I trusted him then, I trust him now.

"Look, let's just not make it hard for each other so please stop teasing" it was said in one breath and I know how hard it must be for him to hide what can't really be hidden, especially if that single part of him was dying to stand out since the moment we were making-out.

I shrugged before slipping on a pair of leggings and a white sleeveless dress mid-thigh. It wasn't the best thing to wear in a camping trip but I doubt we would be doing much but talk. They were just comfortable at the moment and having to wear what my boyfriend wore every single day, I know what comfortable means.

All that time I've allotted to thinking has given him enough time to change to jeans and a black v-neck shirt. It was nice, to just really look at him without feeling embarrassed about how I truly felt. I know he feels the same way so why would I be humiliated by the truth?

Out of nowhere, I reached up to mess up his hair even more and the moment I sat back on my heels, his lips were already on mine, kissing me intently as if it was the last time it was going to happen in a really long time. "I love you" he whispered "Don't you ever forget that"

I nodded and gave him another little kiss. "I love you, too" I replied

And with that, we wiped our lips, feeling rather sad that we can't go outside without feeling scared. I was selfish, knowing that I was the only one who deserves to touch Percy like that, to feel the smooth planes of his back, to breathe in the sea scent that was only him, to just be with him like this. No one can ever take him away from me and I am never let him go, no matter what the circumstances.

Thankfully, no one was out yet but we can't risk getting discovered so we didn't do any PDA's. We just talked, like before, but censored the names and changed it to who they think we're with.

One by one, they started going out. It was Piper and Jason first, already fully dressed and ready for anything, then Silena and Beckendorf, followed by Juniper and Grover, then it was Clarisse and Chris, then Connor and Leo. Surprisingly, only Thalia and Nico and Katie and Travis were the only people we have to wait for but no one of us dared go in their tents because we were unprepared for what we might see.

"So, Annabeth, how was your sleep?" Piper asked, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I thought she was going to forget it ever happened?

But I faked a smile and tried to hide the confusion, fear, and embarrassment that I was somehow feeling right now. "Fine" I replied nonchalantly, "Why do you ask?"

She shook her head and gave me her signature grin before turning all her attention to Jason. Soon, though, Thalia and Nico went out because the sun has fully encased their tent with its rays. Followed by Travis and Katie. "Wow, Stolls, not a single prank!" Percy exclaimed in almost amusement.

You see, every time we invite them to hang out with us, they always seem to pull something big, maybe the smallest might have been pick pocketing or maybe a little teasing. But when they were in the mood, they would pull something huge. Like make-Clarisse-La-Rue-scream-in-surprise-and-shout-out-their-names-in-absolute-anger kind of huge. If ever you want to make her mad, you should probably make sure if you live near a hospital or a cemetery. Or else, you're going to be dead on arrival.

"When are we leaving?"

"I promised dad that we'd be home by noon." Jason said, "So till then, what do you want to do?"

"I know!" Silena squealed, "We can play truth or dare"

Many nodded in agreement, not including Percy and me. This was probably the worst thing that we can probably do right now. "I-I- c-ca- can't." I stuttered. Wow, real smooth Annabeth. "I mean, I can't. I remember our last game and I don't want that to happen every again"

"Come on, Annie!" Thalia interjected, "It's going to be fun. Plus it's not like you're hiding something, right?"

I looked at Percy miserably but he nodded, mouthing "Discreet". I agreed with them after that, knowing there wasn't much to do since all my friends are very persuasive. I swear Piper can make me do something I'm not supposed to by just talking to me. "Rules" Chris stated "You have to answer the question or do the dare or else you have to remove an article of clothing."

_Good enough,_ I thought to myself. I was wearing at least five pieces of clothes and if you count the jewelry, it would be seven. That was enough for me to get started. "I'll go first" Thalia said, turning to me. I closed my eyes, wishing that they won't notice that I was shaking with fear and anticipation. "Annabeth, truth or dare"

She always did like going straight to the point. But I had to think. If I choose truth, she would ask about SB and if I choose dare, she would dare me to tell the truth about SB or even force me to kiss Percy. Not like I don't want the last one to happen, I'm just afraid that maybe we would get too carried away and end up revealing what can't be revealed.

Either way, I'm screwed.

"Dare…?" I just sorta said it and once I did, I bit my lip, knowing what she would force me to do before she even said it.

She smiled evilly, almost formulating a plan. "I dare you to kiss the guy on your left for ten seconds total" I gulped and looked to my right, seeing Jason. Meaning, the guy on my left just had to be Percy.

"Let's just get this done and over with, Wise Girl" he muttered, looking pretty embarrassed himself.

I nodded and pressed my lips gently to his, feeling what I felt just minutes ago inside my tent. But this time, I counted. I had to make sure that it does not go beyond ten seconds.

Three…

Four…

Five… Percy's lips were moving now, insisting that we just have to tell them because he couldn't do this anymore.

Six…

Seven…

Eight… I responded with my tongue searching for his, hoping they wouldn't notice.

Nine…

Ten… I pulled away, as much as I hated it.

I can't take this anymore. I never thought that kissing him would feel so dangerous yet so thrilling. Sometimes, I doubt if I ever do what is right and what I think is right. I know that keeping our relationship a secret is what I _think _is right and maybe the right thing to do as of now is to just tell them straightforwardly.

But I can't find myself doing that.

We turned away from each other, blushing. They were probably thinking that we could have done it so naturally with the people we were with that we forget that the other wasn't them. If they haven't figured it out yet, I think it was best for them to just find out themselves. It was better, maybe a little trickier, but better.

"You actually did it?" Thalia said in amusement.

That got a smile out of me, "I never back out from a dare" I told her, "I think you should know that by now"

My best friend laughed, unable to keep it anymore. Maybe keeping this from her would ruin what we've been trying to grow ever since we were kids. Maybe it was best for her not to suspect something happening between me and Percy. But there was this nagging fact that maybe we would grow even closer than we already are, that we can spend even more time together just to bond. "So, Annabeth, where did you get the outfit last night? You mentioned it belonging to your boyfriend. How did you get it?"

I blushed even more, the pink extremely obvious even through my almost sunburned skin. Why is my skin sunburned? There isn't even any sun yet! Anyways, I decided to keep everything to myself and to Percy because they had no right to go snooping in my love life. "What's wrong, Wise Girl?" Percy teased, "Been doing things you're not supposed to now?"

Okay, how does he do that? He acts like he isn't part of this whatsoever and I don't know how he could act like that. Maybe it was a talent all the guys have or maybe he was born under a family of really good liars. "Well…" I left the thought hanging, fingering with the bracelet on my wrist that my boyfriend gave me for my sixteenth birthday.

"Oh my god, Annabeth!" Silena exclaimed loudly, making many birds fly away in surprise. "You did what?!"

"God, chill Silena" I mumbled, rolling my eyes. "It's not like it's such a big deal"

She looked at me in a way I never thought was possible. It was as if every single thing she thought of me when we first met was now gone and replaced with something else. "Percy, you're not upset about this at all?" Nico asked incredulously. That was his mistake. He should have sounded a little more… jealous? I don't know. How will you react if your best friend that you secretly have feelings for would find out that you did something that you're not supposed to?

But he didn't seem to see the mistake. "It's her life to live, not mine."

"I never thought I would ever hear you say that"

And for this, I was actually proud of him. He seemed to know what to answer to every single question thrown at him, sometimes thrown at me. Huh, I never thought that he has this chance to be an actor someday. "It's not really my fault that I'm right. I mean, I don't care to whom she loses her virginity to…" but he choked, as if he finally considered it and turned to me, a sense of absolute confusion on his face, reminding me of a lost little boy.

"Don't worry, we didn't…" he sighed in relief, almost convincing me that this SB guy wasn't the same person as he was.

So time passed by, with Percy acting like he's totally jealous of himself and me acting like I'm jealous of myself. If I was another person, then I know I'm going to be but there was this one thing that all of them still have to ask. "Who's SB? Come on, Annabeth. Tell us"

"I can't. I'm sorry" I shook my head

"But why can't you?"

This was a hard question to answer. Not because I don't know what to reply but because I don't know how to say it. If there was one misplaced word, the whole meaning would be different. "He's not yet ready for me to reveal who he really is" I said slowly and carefully. "He's a little… scared of how people would treat him."

"So is this guy popular or something?"

Percy let out a small smile. "Yeah, very" he boasted and I rolled my eyes at how Percy he really is.

I can't really look at how they were watching Percy and me intently, Clarisse looking a little more suspicious than the others. "You know who SB is?"

"Actually, all of you know him"

This went way farther than it's supposed to. He's hinting too much, enough for them to know everything if given one more very relevant piece of information. But they didn't seem bothered. Instead, they seemed a little more curious than before but not enough for them to start stalking me.

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	6. Chapter 6

**Apparently I deleted the original Chapter 6. This chapter is longer than usual because it involves two chapters. Sorry for the inconvenience. I blame my stupidity.**

School was boring the next day. Classes seemed to go by without a trace and everything seemed to go slower than it should be. As if there were forty eight hours in one day instead of twenty four.

During History, I couldn't take it anymore. Percy and I were forcefully pulled apart because of seating and every single time I try to talk to him, someone would get in the way. It was annoying, how devilishly handsome he really was that all the girls in our school can't keep their hands off him.

Someone said my name from behind and tapped me once on the back. I was confused and rather curious so I turned to see the person behind me was handing me a note. Okay, so maybe he really did want to talk to me more than I thought.

_Hey Wise Girl! Rooftop garden after class?_

I smiled and wrote down my reply. Which is basically, _Whatever you say, Seaweed Brain, _and passed it back.

It went on like that and we were getting to the good part when the teacher suddenly interrupted and asked us what we were doing. I bit my bottom lip and stuffed the letter in my pocket before looking at Percy desperately. "Um…"

"We were talking about meeting with Thalia later lunch. She said that she might be busy with Jason or Nico so we have to talk about it" Percy burst out suddenly, not really even thinking about what he says.

Mrs. Hudson told us that it would be best if we would read it out loud, just to verify if our words were as true as our actions. To my surprise, my boyfriend pulled out a note from his notebook and gestured for me to stand up with him.

He started stating what is in that piece of paper, basically saying that we should meet his cousin by the gates and then we can eat outside or something. Then saying that Thalia had something to do so she's just considering it at the moment and blah, blah, blah. Mrs. Hudson looked angry as she pulled it out of his grasp and reread what was written, soon finding that what he said was right, miraculously.

Thankfully, our classmates didn't mind us at all, finding it perfectly natural for us to talk about other things than school because I was excelling in the first place so why do I need to study?

"That was way too close" Percy said

I nodded before turning the corner, to the empty hallway leading to our garden. We made sure that no one at all was following us, no sounds of footsteps, no breathing, not even a heartbeat before pulling out the key from my pocket and opening the door, locking it once both of us has entered.

His lips were on mine again, kissing all the problems away like he always does. "I can't believe they still don't suspect anything. I never thought they were stupider than me"

"Actually, 'SB'" I used finger quotes and he laughed, "You're really smart. You just don't use it for your own good"

"Annabeth" he breathed, his lips on my shoulder. "You're talking too much again"

I managed a smirk before kissing him again, my arms around his neck and his on my waist just to pull me closer. What is it with his kisses that make me want to faint whenever it happens? But as of now, I had to stand strong. This is the only time we can do this and maybe the only time we can just talk like we're supposed to.

But maybe talking is the last thing I want right at this moment.

"You're so beautiful" he whispered to that moist spot below my ear.

I didn't answer. Instead, I gave him a moan just to let him know that I liked what he was doing "And you always will be"

"Thank you" I told him, breathing hard once he was kissing up and down my arm. "I never thought that I would ever be beautiful" He shook his head, unable to believe it. He has always found me thinking less of myself.

But his lips eventually found its way back to mine, pushing me against the wall with his arms on either side of me. He seemed insistent about showing how much he really does love me. I know we can't really do something too… serious… yeah, that's the word. We can't really do something too serious in a rooftop garden where a person can easily see us like this. I would rather take my chances in revealing this relationship than exploiting my body. "You should believe me, Cas" he teased lightly, pressing his forehead gently to mine. "You are"

"Well, if that's the case" I replied kissing him again, "Then, you are perfect"

"I have practice later" he said as we sat down on one of the many benches, watching the clouds. "You want to come?"

I shrugged and smiled, pecking him lightly on the cheek. "Sure, why not?" Not only do I want to be there for support but seeing his upper body again is too good to be true. I know I can remove his shirt right here and now but it would be better if there was a specific reason as to why I would be doing it.

But that was all interrupted when my phone vibrated inside my jeans pocket. I groaned and pulled it out, reading a text from Thalia.

_WHERE ARE YOU?! _

Okay, so maybe it was my fault that we're probably going to have a very meaningful argument/shouting match with her later but it does not include getting a little carried away. We're just waiting for the after effects of the make-out session to fade as much as possible.

"Thalia's looking for us" I told him. He nodded before standing up, fixing his shirt that has somehow turned a little creased with our entire stay here.

"What'd you tell her?" he asked, a little casual.

"That we should meet her by our lockers"

Percy didn't argue at all. He just gave me one last kiss before opening the door leading back to high school hell. He looked sad, as if he really wanted to spread the news to everyone that he's with me. I know how he felt and I know why he felt it but there are just some things in life that has to be kept a secret. I don't ever want to be separated from him and pose as a threat to the other girls in his fan club but I know I have to give up one to get what I really want.

"Do you want to tell them?" I asked.

He didn't answer for a while, thinking. "I know it might be hard for you to understand that maybe something else will happen if you do."

"I'm willing to risk everything for her" I winced at the last word but I have got to say that he's really good at covering something up. "I don't care what they'll think. And neither do you"

I shook my head. This was getting out of hand. There are so many things that can or can't happen. I'm sure that Thalia would get mad at me because I never told her about this the moment it even started and Silena would hate me for the exact same reason. But there was something about how everything might be a little lighter once we did. I mean sure, there will be a lot of people who would start backstabbing me because I'm dating my best friend and one of the hottest guys here but I can do so much without hiding.

"Are you sure we should?" I could already see my friends talking in our table. "This might as well be the worst thing we can do right now"

He smiled kindly, reaching out and squeezing my hand. It gave me a great boost of confidence, even if it was such a small action. "Don't worry, I got your back"

"Hey guys" I choked out.

They didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that I was MIA just minutes ago. "Where have you been?" Grover asked but he didn't seem to care since he was busy admiring his girlfriend's beauty.

"I think you should know something" Piper jerked her head up to meet my eyes and I managed to say "It's time" with them.

She looked proud of me, as if she knew I had the guts to step out of my comfort zone and say what I want to. "What is it, Annabeth?" Katie asked, looking a little curious and I could tell by the look on her face that she already knew what I was talking about.

"I was wrong to keep this from you but I was afraid that something might happen. Maybe I was wrong, thinking that I couldn't trust you with something as simple as this but it was my mistake and you should know the truth"

"What are you trying to say?"

I bit my bottom lip and looked at Percy miserably. He nodded, gesturing for to go on and practically saying that I was doing great. This was harder than I thought it would be, even through the comforting glances both my boyfriend and Piper were giving me. "It's time for you to meet SB" it was a whisper, just as soft as the final kiss he gave me.

Apparently, they didn't seem to react the way I expected them to. They were all panicking, looking around as if he was going to pop out any minute. Percy managed a smirk at this and little by little, he took steps closer to me. The moment I felt his hot breath on my ear, I knew I did the right thing. "You're doing great, Wise Girl" he said, only for me to hear. "Don't worry about anything. I'm here and whatever happens, I'll be here"

"Where is he?" Clarisse demanded, narrowing her eyes at me and Percy's proximity.

"He's right beside me" I said.

It was a straightforward confession. There's no backing out now. "SB… Seaweed Brain!" Thalia face palmed, looking at me angrily. "So you lied to me about the entire thing. I was right and you told me that it was impossible!"

I couldn't take this anymore. This was too much for me to bear. I knew I was just putting myself up to more pain and hearing my best friend scream at me was just too much. So I broke down into fits of sobs. Percy was holding on to me tightly, cooing to me, whispering words of comfort to my ear because it was the only thing he knows how to do at this situation, seeing that he never really get to have experience.

"Thalia!" Nico scolded, holding her arm. I've never seen him so annoyed, so surprised, in my entire life. "Thalia!" he repeated firmly once he realized that she wasn't listening.

"What?!" she shot at him, anger flaring her once calm blue eyes. This wasn't her, my best friend is mostly even tempered, if not she's just going to get mad for about a minute then she's going to let it go.

I could feel every eye on us, on the whole sitcom that has probably started in front of them. There was no other sound than Thalia's screaming, my quiet sobs, and Percy's words that seemed to break through the ringing in my ears just for me to absorb. I held him tight because he was probably the only one that's with me right now, excluding Piper of course.

To my surprise, he picked me up bridal style and brought me outside, never stopping his whispers. I realized that Piper was running towards us and before I even knew it, I was in her arms with her comforting me in the way she knew best. "You did great" she mumbled as she held me arm's length.

"Thank you" I told both of them. "For being there"

My boyfriend smiled and kissed the top of my head, holding me tight. "Don't worry. I will never leave you" he reassured once again. And I nodded because that was the only thing I know how to say. I've never shed so much tears, never cried that much because of something as stupid as love.

"How's your sister taking it?" Percy questioned, never taking his arms off me.

"Silena's pretty cool about it. Maybe she's a little… surprised but she's happy for you guys"

I nodded. "If you want, we can go home. I'm sure my mom can make a pretty good excuse as to how why we took a half-day" he suggested

That was a pretty good idea. I just want to be away from this place as much as possible, be in the presence of people who love me more than my mother ever has. And I silently agreed.

"I'll tell them. Maybe I could ask Thalia to stop by and apologize"

"That would be great, Pipes. Thank you"

She flashed a grin before sprinting back towards the building.

We went to Percy's car (a navy blue Honda convertible with two seats) and drove to the large house in the suburb. He was rich but his parents had to work hard to get to where they were now.

"Percy? Annabeth? What are you doing here so early?" I recognize her as one of the housekeepers, Consuela, and she looked a little confused when she saw my tear stained face. I never really got the strength to wipe them away.

He explained everything briefly and she nodded every once in a while, gesturing for me to sit down on the white leather sofa. She handed me a glass of water and I drank it gratefully, placing my head gently on Percy's shoulder after. "Thalia just thought it was unusual, that's all." He tried

"Don't worry about it, Seaweed Brain. I'm fine" it was the truth, seeing that I could never lie to him at all about anything. "Just a little shaken"

"If you're sure"

I smiled at him, telling him that I am. He still looked rather worried before bringing me to his room and pulled out a box from his pocket, handing it to me gingerly. "What's this for?"

"Well, now that you're officially my girlfriend, I decided that this might as well be my first gift to you" he replied shyly.

"Since when did you have this?"

He didn't answer this one. Instead, he opened the box for me and smiled at my reaction. It was beautiful, my eyes undeserving to see such craftsmanship. It was an owl holding a small diamond, hanging delicately on a platinum chain with a heart clasp. Engraved at the back were the words,

Love, Seaweed Brain

"Percy" I gasped as he put it on me.

"Do you like it?"

I nodded viciously before hugging him the moment he finished. He kissed me just once and pressed his forehead gently on mine, giving me one of his signature lopsided smiles. I don't know why but seeing him and me together without being totally afraid of what might happen felt as if all the weight on my shoulders has been lifted. I know that Thalia and I might not be the same ever again but she's going to come to her senses sooner or later. I just hope that it's sooner than later.

"I love you" he said simply, holding me tighter.

"I love you, too" I replied, a little too innocent

A little after four, most of my friends were already in Percy's living room, talking to me about my entire decision and as to why I only said it today even though we've been seeing each other since Wednesday last week. My boyfriend, thankfully, answered every one of their questions, just to give me a break. I noticed that Thalia wasn't there and turned disappointed at her absence. She would have made me smile, even just showed her face to me, even if it was a disapproving glare. I just have to know how she's coping with this. It was tearing me to pieces knowing she was secretly loathing me for keeping something like this from her.

"So you're saying that you've been keeping this from us? That's why you were sneaking around during the camping trip?"

We both nodded, our expressions turning a little sheepish. "Actually, Piper saw us…" I added so all the attention won't be on us but on Piper. It was mean, I know but I wasn't ready for the pressure and all their stares.

"You knew and you didn't tell me!" Jason shrieked, an octave higher than usual.

"I wanted to but you know how they are when you did something that is totally against what they told you to do" he still looked pretty pissed but I could tell that he accepts her reasoning. Percy and I do get a little over the top when we're angry…

"I just realized that I missed practice" my boyfriend muttered in realization. "And I'm not supposed to since I'm the captain" he cursed inwardly but I just shook my head and smirked at him, being the totally supportive girlfriend I really am (not really but you know what I mean)

"So you're saying you would rather go to swimming practice than to be with me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

The look on his face was a little in the considering side. I knew he would make this hard on me and probably tease me in the way he knows best. "Probably" he answered finally.

I rolled my eyes and punched him in the gut. "You're unbelievable" he doubled over in laughter probably on how I was feeling and looking right now. It wasn't my fault that I was a little sensitive after hearing Thalia scream at me for the first time in three years.

"You do know that you're not the only one that missed practice right?" Nico said with a hint of amusement

"Well yeah but still. I'm not supposed to"

"Why do you just practice here? It's not like it would make a difference." Silena said, not really paying attention that much to the entire conversation.

He did think about this, staring out of the house and into the backyard where an Olympic sized pool lied with water waiting to be disturbed. "It has been a while since I swam there" That one didn't surprise me. The past few days, Percy has always been with me or if not, with his parents and he never at all once dipped at toe in the water. And it was killing him.

"Jason!" he said suddenly. The boy jumped in surprise at his tone but by the look on his eyes, I could practically see why he was acting like this.

"I am not racing you" he said, as if thinking that it was probably the worst idea that my boyfriend has ever suggested. "You know how I am with water. You're on your own, Perce"

"Well I have to race someone" Seaweed Brain looked desperate before his eyes fell on Nico, looking at him mischievously.

At first, he didn't notice but soon, when he saw that everyone was looking at him, he finally looked up, straight to Percy. "Sure, why not?" All of us gasped. No one dared accept Percy's challenges and the last one who did (which was Connor Stoll) was left humiliated in front of the girl he was dating at that time.

"Nico, think of this. You're going to get killed!" Katie was exaggerating. He wasn't going to get killed, of course he'll be brutally left to eat Percy's dust but he isn't going to die.

So they did end up racing, the first to finish five laps wins. Of course we were sure that Percy was going to win, except when he's going to let Nico win and maybe that happened every once in a while. He was undefeated and the school would be nothing without him. That's why we have so many first place trophies regarding that sport. It was in his blood since his father was in the varsity swim team and got a scholarship in swimming. And his mom always loved the ocean, both of his parents actually. It was his element, water, and you can never doubt that it isn't.

"You sure about this, Di Angelo?" Percy taunted as he pulled his shirt up over his head and I bite my lip as to not pounce on him right then and there. Forget the race. I was hungry and he was standing right there teasing me.

"No but I do a lot of things when I'm not sure" It was true. He practically got an A answering a test he never at all studied for. He copied my boyfriend's action and threw his shirt to the grass.

Honestly, I don't know where Nico got his swimming trunks. Maybe he's known Percy for so long that he was so predictable.

But seeing my best friend in his navy blue trunks took all those thoughts to a hold, knowing that he's been working out ever since we were thirteen just to get his position in his swim team. I've never fully appreciated him this way before, even after doing something we're not supposed to. Don't get me wrong, I've focused on pleasuring him when we did it but it was in a dark room. But here, where the light would properly hit every single little feature in his perfect body, I felt like fainting.

Apparently, much to my dismay, he noticed that I was staring. "Like the view?" he teased lightly, gesturing to his six pack. I snorted and focused on the book that I was reading.

"Don't act like that, now Wise Girl" he mused playfully, "It's not my fault I'm a chick magnet"

I couldn't hide that smile that was forming on my face. As much as I hate to admit it, he was right. It was annoying. Every single girl in school has a crush on him, even Silena. She's not willing to take him away from me but she has this feeling that she finds him hot as much as she doesn't want to. All the girls here but they all think that Percy and I are perfect together so they don't interfere.

Travis blew the whistle and both of them dove in the water. I wasn't actually paying attention to my boyfriend's opponent since he was a much more interesting sight, to me anyways. His strokes were flawless, professional, as if he competed in the Olympics himself and he won gold. I won't be surprised if he does and I'm positive in the near future, his swimming and love for the ocean may give him his big break.

In a blink, Percy was already heading his way back and Nico was tailing him. I have to admit, he was fast, both of them actually, but Percy has that effect on water that whenever he steps foot in it, it seems to cradle him and give him the advantage. I'm not saying they're super powers or something but it was unusual, godly even.

Of course, he won. Already sitting on the edge o f the pool when Nico finished. He was drying his hair like a dog, flicking droplets on my feet and arms but I smiled, knowing that he always did that. He let the sun finish the job, lying down on the neatly trimmed grass with his breathing even.

"Well that was faster than I expected" Clarisse muttered as she looked at Nico, shaking her head.

"I was feeling nice so I slowed down a bit just for him to catch up" Percy mumbled sleepily, gesturing for me to sit next to him.

I could never refuse that offer. Ever since I was a child I've wanted to be held by the man I love with him never wanting to let me go. And now, he was here, he's always been here. I never thought I would ever experience such a thing like this, never thought I deserved it. I love him. That's one of the many things I am sure of, imprinted on my head like a permanent tattoo.

Once I reached his side, he pulled me down so I was resting my head on his moist but drying chest. His breathing on my head quickened as I started tracing patterns over his muscled chest. "I still can't believe that you could turn into something like that"

"Something like what?" he asked, confused.

I smiled and pecked him lightly on the lips "Something like an angel, I don't know. You looked so perfect when you're swimming, before, after, and during."

He held me tight against him. "You don't know how much you mean to me." He confessed. "I've always loved you but not like this, not like how I feel now. I mean yeah, before I could already practically read your thoughts but now it feels like I feel what you feel, even see what you see… I now know that I will never be alone in my life"

Ever since we started dating, he turned to this poetic guy that I seemed to get used to. It was different from the Percy I lived with since I was twelve and now I realized that I liked that side of him, that side that I thought never existed. He was always filled with surprises, never really settling with what he already has but searches even more.

"Percy!" a voice came from the inside of the house. It sounded like Sally. How is she home? I thought she was taking overtime or something.

"At the back mom!" Percy screamed back, almost breaking my eardrum.

Sally Jackson is a beautiful woman. She's the kindest mother, caring in every way but not one of those parents who hover. Her eyes as blue as the sea always was, her smile was warmer than a quilt, always saying that "Are you alright?" or "I love you". Percy was lucky to have to be born after such great parents. "Consuela said you came home early" she said, her voice a little considerate.

"Yeah, Annabeth had… an accident… and I had to bring her here" Sally nodded in understanding, smiling at me.

"I'm glad you're okay now, Annabeth dear" she said kindly.

"Thank you, Mrs. Jackson" I answered, copying her smile.

She noticed that the rest of the gang was here too and she greeted them enthusiastically, already bursting with the idea of making cookies for all of us. They all knew what color those cookies would come in and all of us never really minded… "Hey mom, where's dad?"

"Your father's coming here before dinner, sweetie. He just has a lot of work to do" Percy nodded sadly before lying down beside me once again, our position never changing.

"Thalia should be here by now" Jason said with a sigh, pulling out his phone and trying to call his older sister.

I snorted. I never really meant for it to come out like that but after everything that happened, I can't really hold it in anymore. "She won't come" I muttered bitterly. "She'll hate me forever"

"Don't say that" Seaweed Brain scolded, holding my hand. "She's going to come to her senses and when she does, she'll act like this always happened. It just takes a long time to cope with the entire situation, especially when you found out that your cousin and your best friend are now happily together."

I sighed and looked at him sadly, praying to whoever god that he's right. He's know Thalia longer than I have and maybe he's seen this happen before and everything just repeated itself all over again. "Are you sure?" I asked, like a little girl that was promised to be given a pony for her sixth birthday.

A nod got a few tears out of my eyes. I never thought that his choice of words were so good that it would make me cry. It was unthinkable, seeing that there may be a day when Percy would know what I would say and when I would say it every time and his replies will always be the same reassuring ones.

"Guys, you've been real quiet there. What's going on?" I asked, looking at them. I noticed that all of them, and I mean _all _of them were watching us as if we were a huge sitcom they were all addicted at.

Silena looked like she was going to cry. I don't know what her reason probably would be but it may have been from the drama this situation was giving her. She loved it, watching all those chick flicks. She's already writing her very own romance novels and I wouldn't be surprised if it hits the market once she's twenty.

"Oooohhhh" she cooed, looking at us dreamily. "You guys are so cute together!"

I rolled my eyes before standing up, pulling Percy with me. Just in time, Sally called from the kitchen to announce that the cookies were done. All the guys were racing to the door like the little kids they are.

"Stop pushing Connor!" Leo yelled as he ran to the sweet smelling baked goods.

"Travis! You stepped on my foot!" it was Chris who said this.

But before any one of them could touch a single crumb, Percy's mom stopped them. "Boys!" she screamed over all the muttering the guys were giving her. I swear they were practically drooling over the plate of blue chocolate chip cookies on the table. "Don't worry, I made enough for all of you."

"Mom" Percy smiled, "You are the best!"

And all of them were fighting over every last chocolate chip cookie there is. Sally, seeing our annoyance, handed us another plate, knowing that there wasn't going to be anything on that platter once their finished. I know why they were acting this way to her baking. They were amazing, probably fancy restaurant amazing. That's why they never really needed a cook in their house, because all of them practically can cook for their own.

"Momma!" a little girl's scream came from the hallway. She was three, with tangled jet black hair to her shoulders and her mother's eyes, holding a stuffed octopus. She was rubbing her eye, like Percy does when he just woke up and I could tell that it was probably in his blood whenever he decided to do that.

I smiled at her and picked her up, with her squealing in my arms. "Hi Bella" I said in that teasing voice I always give her. "How was your sleep?"

"Fine" she answered in her cute baby accent, placing her head on my chest. "Where's Percy?"

She looked over my shoulder to see her brother handing her a blue cookie that he probably snatched from the plate. She smiled and Percy kissed her gently on the forehead. He's always been that big brother every little sister wanted. "You hungry, kiddo?"

Bella shook her head, biting her cookie. She's already used to blue food so she finds regular cookies weird whenever she sees them. "Where's papa?" she asked as I handed her to Percy, who carried her carefully in his arms.

"Well, papa's still at work but he'll be here before you know it, okay?"

That was when I noticed that he still wasn't wearing a shirt.

I blushed as my eyes travelled down to his trunks. I've never wanted him this bad before but I know that I can't really do this without waking Poseidon, Sally, and/or Bella up. But they jolted back to his sister's little face, pressed against the skin on his shoulder as she held both her toy and her brother tight.

"Where's Thalia?" she asked. I bit my lip, not willing to answer that question. I don't want to talk about her right now, knowing that she probably hates me for lying to her.

"She's here" a voice behind me said. I closed my eyes, unmoving. I didn't want to see her. I don't know how she would react so I didn't want to see her. But she placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"I know how you feel, Annabeth" she said softly, "I should accept the fact that you and kelp for brains there are perfect for each other. I shouldn't have reacted that way or pushed you into saying something you weren't ready for. I shouldn't have yelled."

I let out a sigh of relief as I turned to hug her tightly. "I'm sorry for keeping this from you. You had the right to know but I was afraid that something might happen if I did. I should have let it go. I should have trusted you"

Percy smiled as she shook Thalia's free hand. It was all he could do for now but later, he would probably thank her endlessly for forgiving me. "So Sally, still have those delicious blue cookies of yours?" Mrs. Jackson smiled and handed her the plate that still has about five in them. She took one before pulling Nico outside, probably to make out.

Soon after Thalia's arrival, Poseidon came. He was dressed in typical work attire but the only thing unusual was the paper bag that he was holding in his hand. He greeted me with a fatherly hug, kissed Bella on her forehead, and hugged Percy as well. Once he reached Sally, though, he quickly pulled her to one of those kisses that someone like Percy's little sister should never witness. I gagged at the sight before turning away and my boyfriend wasn't that comfortable either.

"Mom" he whined. "Not in front of Bella!"

They pulled away just to look at him and shrugged. "I had a call from the office that you, Percy, went home early"

He explained everything that happened, eventually smiling at the look on his parent's faces. But they were happy, saying that it was _finally _happening. After all those years, we are _finally _together. Sally already expects me to become her future daughter-in-law but I didn't really object.

"You're not really thinking about getting married this soon in your relationship, are you?" Juniper said, looking a little amused by the look on our faces

I smiled widely and nudged the man beside me. "What do you think, Seaweed Brain?"

Percy thought about it. I liked seeing him with his thinking face, looking so cute. "Not now but someday, maybe when we graduate college or something"

"Sounds nice" I said with another smile. Okay, I've been smiling a lot lately.

All of them stayed for dinner, thinking that maybe we can share some more since they all live really close from here. I, on the other hand, have been damned to stay in an apartment with my incredibly annoying family. Anyways, we all were laughing hysterically because of a joke that the Stolls said. It was nice, to just laugh with your friends, having nothing to worry about other than breaking a rib or puncturing your laugh box. I curse my brothers for making me watch Spongebob in the first place.

Even Bella was giggling when her brother told a story about Rachel while they were dating. It was a pretty embarrassing tale, involving a broken nose and a permanent scar on the chin that still seemed to be present on my boyfriend's perfect face.

Since there was no school tomorrow, we decided that it would be best to just relax for a while. They decided to stay longer than they were supposed to, maybe even overnight when they have the chance. They do that often, seeing that there was no reason to go home in the first place.

We were watching How I Met Your Mother when I received a very angry call from my mother. "Annabeth Cassandra Chase!" she screamed to my ear. I winced at her tone and looked at Percy in that I-need-your-help-because-my-mom-is-going-to-kill-m e kind of way.

"Yes mom?" I asked, relaxing a little because he started massaging my shoulders. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I received a call from your school that you skipped your afternoon classes. What was your reason?" she asked, just like my mother would.

Hiding the groan was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. It was just so frustrating how she only cared about my grades and academics and she never really cared about me in general. I mean, what kind of mother would be that way to a child who has tried to love her? "I felt sick"

"Then why didn't you go to our house then? I could have accepted that if you did so"

Percy, hearing my mother's reason for getting angry, moved his hands to my sides, his lips on my neck as he breathed loving words to my ear. I could tell by now that everyone was paying more attention to me than they are to the TV. "Mom" I started, "Percy brought me to his house."

"Why do you put your friends over your family? Bobby and Matthew almost went out the streets looking for you!"

"I'm sorry" was all I said. It was as good an apology as any but I could tell that she would never accept it.

Then she started ranting on how she worried so much about me. I almost puked at the idea. She wouldn't care if I die, as long as I gave her what she wanted. I swear I could have thrown my phone to the other side of the room if it wasn't my boyfriend's hands restricting me from doing so, telling me that I should be a little more patient. I would have exploded right then and there. "Mother, I promise I'd be there tomorrow morning. I just need to be here right now"

"Why?" she asked, sounding angry. "Why are you in Jackson's house and not here?"

I didn't answer for a while, thinking of what might be the best reply at the moment. It would be nice if I would just hang up on her right then and there but she knows where I am so she can easily pay a much unappreciated visit and pull me out of Percy's grasp. And that isn't even the worst of it. "Mom…" I trailed off, looking at the man beside me.

Thankfully, before she finally made me break down into fits of uncontrollable sobs, Percy got the phone from my hand. "Look, Athena, as much as I respect the fact that you're Annabeth's mother, you still have to give her the freedom to choose where she wants to be. And for now, she wants to be here with her friends" it was firm and I was afraid that he might lose his temper. I would never forget the flames in his eyes, fueled with anger and hate.

"Perseus Jackson, I swear to all things holy that you bring my child here back to my house or else I will accuse you of kidnapping" his eyes flashed dangerously and all of us winced at the sight. We're not prepared for this moment. No one will ever be prepared of this moment. To those people out there who want to see Percy mad, you're lucky that you still haven't so it is best if you don't push it.

"She is sixteen years old. She is free to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants" he growled.

I could already hear my mother's screams from the other line but I carefully laced my fingers to his, hoping that he would find that this wasn't the best time to get mad, especially with Bella sitting right there. She would be forever scarred if ever she sees him burst like a volcano. "You do not decide for her. You may be her best friend but I am her mother!"

"You don't know that you've been one of the worst mothers there is. Annabeth wants more from you than force."

"That was how I learn!"

He seemed frustrated now and I ordered Jason to put the frightened little girl of three in her bedroom and close the door. "Then the way you learned was stupid!" he spat at her. "You know what, Annabeth's a great girl. She deserves more than what she's given."

"How dare you speak to me like tha-?!"

He didn't even let her finish the statement before he hung up, pacing around the room. It got me agitated and Silena had the decency to turn off the TV. "Percy" I said, hoping that my words were comforting.

"I'm fine" was his only reply.

"Percy" I said again, but with much more conviction.

He stopped moving and looked at me, straight in the eye. "She doesn't deserve to talk to you like that, to boss you around"

"I know she doesn't but she's my mother. I have to follow her"

I can't pinpoint what exact emotions were crossing his mind right now but I could tell that it was more of anger, hatred, and pity. Not for me but for mother who never really found out what I really wanted. It was sad how she completely ignores my needs and all I ever wanted was for her to accept me as her child and not just a student. "She's my mother" I repeated, placing a hand on his neck, gently stroking his cheek with my thumb. He leaned to my touch and kissed my fingertips, just because he can. "She's my mother and I can't do anything about it."

"You'll go home?" I shook my head, smiling kindly.

"This is my home, Seaweed Brain" he let out a sigh of relief before pulling me into his arms and kissing me gently on the lips, just enough for me to taste his bittersweet thoughts.

His voice came soft to my ear, the exact opposite of his tone to my mother. "I love you, Wise Girl"

"Love you, too, Perce" I replied with absolutely no hesitation.

We sat back down and answered every one of our friends' questions, with them accepting our answers. "Does your mother know?" Leo asked, looking a little nervous as if he was afraid that I would pounce on him for asking such a question.

I shook my head and stared at the ceiling, resting my head on Percy's chest. "I don't plan to tell her just yet. She deserves to wait a little longer"

They all nodded in agreement, seeing that they all experienced how mom really is. She's terrible, almost a monster to everyone she sees. She only cares about my little brothers, Bobby and Matthew.

Soon after, there was silence. It wasn't awkward since they were family but more of comfortable. There were no other sounds than Silena's usual giggles or Piper's usual whines.

"What's wrong?" Jason teased lightly, "Can't stand not kissing me, can you?"

I let out a smile. It was just so Jason for him to say something like that and I was glad that Piper wasn't as short tempered as Percy is. "Shut up" she muttered, blushing like a tomato. He let out a good natured laugh and kissed her just as softly as my boyfriend did to me.

That lasted until they were in one of the hottest make-out sessions I have ever seen. I won't be surprised if they would just start screwing each other right in front of us. I shifted uncomfortably and I swear I heard Percy smirk. "You're jealous" he whispered to my ear.

I snorted and he just started laughing at me. It was annoying, having to deal with this every single day of my life but I could tell he was just reading what my heart and mind was screaming for me to do.

Whatever just happened the next few seconds made me regret ever over thinking the fact that I missed his lips on mine. The kiss was feverish, hungry, yet passionate all the same. I swear that we would be ripping each other's clothes off if it wasn't for the fact that everyone else was staring at us with raised eyebrows. Whatever this is about, I accept whatever consequence that would be pressed upon my now very breathless figure.

Even if my lungs couldn't get sufficient air, I couldn't find the strength to pull away. I wasn't specific when I told him that this was my home. I actually meant that Percy is that physical manifestation of that home because with him, I always felt like I belonged. He was open to my ideas even though he teases me every once in a while. He was just... perfect.

"Percy!" someone screamed from upstairs. I almost prayed that he ignored it but the way the voice was portrayed was of a kindergartener.

Much to my disappointment, he pulled away, looking at the staircase to his little sister. "Yes, Bella?"

"I can't sleep" she muttered, hugging her stuffed octopus. My boyfriend smiled kindly at her before standing up, heading to where she was and carrying her to us.

"Where are mommy and daddy?" Little Bella asked, yawning.

"Mommy and daddy went away for a while. They'd be back before you know it!" he exclaimed silently, stroking the little girl's black hair.

He was great with kids. I've always known that. He seems to know just what to do during every single situation given to him so I wasn't surprised that he was the first person her school calls when something happens. It rarely does but it did once. He's going to be a great father someday, either to my children or to some other lucky girl who deserves him more than I ever will. "G'night, Percy"

"G'night Bells" he muttered, kissing her forehead lightly.

He placed her gently on the sofa and sat back, looking at us with a small smile plastered on his face. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

I surprised him with a bone crushing hug and he kissed the side of my face out of instinct. Seaweed Brain can be sensitive when he wants to be… "I don't deserve you" I told him honestly.

"I think it's the other way around"

My teeth involuntarily bit my lower lip the moment he ended his statement. He plenty deserves me, deserves better than me. How could he think that he doesn't? I don't know what has gotten over me the past few days but maybe the sudden rush of emotions got the best of me and it made me into someone who I'm trying so hard to hide.

It was eleven and we were watching a movie since we got bored. Percy had to carry Bella back to her room because it was getting a little loud and the last thing we want to do is wake up a sound sleeper from a sound sleep. I have learned not to do that on Percy and maybe his little sister isn't that different.

Twilight is one of my favorite films. Not because I was absolutely compelled by Silena to watch all the movies and read all the books but because in some way, I could relate to Bella Swan. Well maybe not _that_ much since no one is fighting over me and I am totally loyal to my boyfriend, her problems and the strength of her love just feels like it reminded me of myself. The girls and I were gushing about Taylor Lautner shirtless and all of the guys seemed offended by it.

"Do we not exist anymore?" Nico said exasperatedly, gesturing to all of them.

Thalia scrunched up her nose in disgust but I could tell that she was teasing. "Do you hear that? Annabeth?" I shook my head and all of them groaned. I know I shouldn't be doing this, especially when Percy wasn't in the best mood for me to act like he was never born but seeing his face when he's annoyed was just as good as seeing his face when he's pleased.

"I'm going to bed" he said suddenly. My eyes widened in surprise but before I could even think of doing what I thought I should be, he was already heading up the stairs.

I knew I shouldn't be overreacting but I could feel that the moment Percy left, there was this emptiness that seemed to form in my heart. It was hard to describe but it is pretty close to a jigsaw puzzle with one missing piece. I managed a whimper as I stood up and ran after him, ignoring the knowing smirks that my friends seemed to make.

But as I was about to open his door, I heard his voice, talking to someone on the phone. "She won't get hurt when I break it… She doesn't have to know… I know you need to but we just have to wait until she's busy… just whatever you do, don't say anything to anyone… you're the best… I wish you could come here now… I know you can't because she's here but you know how she is… fine, fine, bye."

I gasped and moved backwards, hitting the wall. Tears were streaming down my eyes as I slid to the floor. What did he mean? Who was _she_? Are they talking about me and how he may break-up with me? Is he cheating on me with that girl? No! I refuse to believe that. Percy, he has absolute personal loyalty. He can't even think of the idea of leaving me to fulfill his duty. I may have misunderstood.

"Wise Girl?" I heard him ask. Percy held me by the arms and pulled me to a tight hug. "Why are you crying?"

"Who were you talking to just a minute ago?" I accused. It just sorta came out my mouth for no apparent reason. "I swear, Percy, if you don't tell me the truth, we are over"

"It was a friend of mine, a guy I know from Baltimore. We made an agreement that he comes to visit but he can't because Francesca, our gardener, is here for the month."

I shook my head, unbelieving. "What about 'She won't get hurt when I break 'it''?" I choked, looking angrily at him.

"Gary suggested that I break Francesca favorite vase and I was having second thoughts. Annabeth, you couldn't possibly think it was something else?"

Sometimes, I could be so stupid that I would forget reality. Percy loves me. We've said it to each other so many times before and we agreed that we would never be with anyone else unless something happens. He would never do that because I always give him what he wants so what's the point of getting another girl? "I love you, Wise Girl" he reassured, pulling me taut against him. "I love you and don't you ever forget that" he was sincere, I could hear that in his voice and I felt so guilty for accusing his dishonesty.

"I love you, too" I replied, "But next time, no secrets, okay?"

He nodded and kissed the top of my head, carrying me to his bed and placing my very exhausted figure under the sea green comforter. "You should sleep" he assured, holding my hand close to his mouth. "Don't worry. I would never do anything to hurt you"

I trust him to keep that secret. "Good night, Seaweed Brain"

He smiled and wiped away the leftover tears in my eyes. "Good night, Wise Girl"

A smile escaped my lips when I felt him move beside me, his arms around me as tight as he could with him muttering reassurances to my ear. It was nice to hear, having him confess his love for me over and over again. "I love you" he muttered for the final time and sleep overcame him.

Not even thirty seconds passed until I finally let myself fall into the void of unconsciousness.

I woke up the next morning with him nestled behind me, his lips on my shoulder drooling. I would usually be disgusted but this was an exception to everything. He looked so cute when he slept and this was the first time I fully appreciated him to be finally mine. Honestly, I was wearing nothing more than what I wore during the camping. Since it was technically mine now (not really so don't tell him), I can wear it any time I want.

I decided to quote something from what I read, smiling softly as I stroked his hair. "You are the answer to every prayer I've offered." I started, feeling extremely emotional. "You are a song, a dream, a whisper, and I don't know how I could have lived without you for as long as I have." I paused, seeing him smile and mouth my name in his sleep. In all honesty, I couldn't stand the fact that I've kept this from him for so long.

"How come you can memorize something like that?" he mumbled sleepily, giving me one of his signature smirks even if he just woke up two seconds ago.

I shook my head and pulled him to a tight hug "I meant what I said"

"I know you did." He seemed to consider what he's going to say for a while. "I feel the same way"

My lips found him first, our tongues doing a give and take that we have practiced so much over the days that we have started secretly dating. As I moved on top of him, our mouths still pretty much super glued together, I noticed how he really did seem sincere about not loving anyone other than me. Maybe his parents and Bella but in that intimate boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, I was the only one he loved. "How could someone like me deserve someone like you?" I asked, holding his hand in mine.

He didn't answer. Instead, he pressed my palm gently to his face, kissing it lightly.

There was comfortable silence for an entire minute and I was glad that there wasn't any awkwardness between us at all anymore.

"Percy, honey, could you come down here for a second?" It sounded like his mother and he yelled a reply before standing up, he pulled me with him and we walked downstairs where there was a big surprise waiting for us.

Standing there in a tank top and really short shorts was Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Her red hair was tied to a low side ponytail and her face was caked with boatloads of make-up. You could tell from afar that all of the pieces of clothing she was wearing were designer and I almost puked at the idea of her and my Percy dating when we were in freshman year. "Hi, Perce" she said seductively. "We haven't really talked much ever since you came back from the camping trip…"

I guess it was the first time she actually noticed our proximity and how we were holding hands as if the other was the only thing we had from falling in a pit of hungry wolves. "Oh" she said in disgust, turning towards me. "You're with her" she said her as if it was the worst insult she could have thought of and I almost slapped her right then and there.

"Yes, I am with her." He answered confidently, looking at me. "Why are you here, Rachel?"

The rich girl smirked and pulled out a piece of paper from her purse, giving us what seemed to be a letter from Rachel's father, Mr. Dare. "What's this for?" I asked, a little bitterly if you ask me.

"That is the deed to the house in the beach that your father asked my dad to build." She said sweetly, almost gushing with another emotion akin to lust. "If you want, we can look at it together…"

He smirked and handed it to me. I _am_ his personal secretary. "No thanks. I'll give this to my dad" he then turned to Silena who smiled rather mischievously, something I have never at all seen from her. "Thank you, Rachel"

"No problem, Percy" she mumbled dreamily, holding out her hand. But instead of him giving his, Silena moved in front of Rachel and shook her hand for him. "Pleasure doing business with you, bitch"

And with that, Rachel Dare was pushed out of the house with a surprised expression on her face.

We started our search for Mr. Jackson and, thank God, found him leaning on the porch railing. "Hey dad, RED said that her father said that you asked him to build you a house near the beach. What is it for?" Seaweed Brain questioned, looking rather suspicious, as he handed the envelope to his father.

"Thank you, Percy." Poseidon said, smiling lightly.

"What's it for?" he repeated again, pushing further.

My boyfriend's dad smiled and handed him what seemed to be a blueprint. It was a huge beach house, almost as big as the house they have here. And I gasped when I saw some of my designs there. "Percy, for your sixteenth birthday, I give you this as a gift"

"You're kidding, right?" he looked surprised. First of all, he already did have a present for this year. Why does he need another one? And that gift just happens to be a red convertible Maserati Spyder. That was his dream car and that wasn't everything yet. How rich are they that they can afford these kinds of presents?

"No, I'm not kidding" Mr. Jackson mused, his smile growing a little bigger.

That was when he tackled his father to one of the biggest hugs I have ever seen given. "Oh my god! Thank you so much dad! You don't know how much this means to me!"

"I know you've always wanted a house near the beach…"

"This is mine. As in all mine?"

I didn't even realize that Sally was standing behind us, holding a very sleepy Bella. "Yes, it's all yours"

Honestly, he did his best to keep everything calm. I could tell that he was practically doing back flips and somersaults in the inside. He's always wanted to live near the shore, where the ocean can lap at your feet whenever you stand close. That was one of his dreams and now it is finally coming true.

Once we reached our room again, he was jumping for joy, already letting himself go. He pulled me into his arms and twirled me around, making me laugh at how childish it really was. And the moment he placed me back on my feet, he was kissing me, just enough for me to feel absolute happiness inside. "You're really excited, aren't you?" I whispered to him, kissing his cheek lightly.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked simply, looking at me with that incredibly handsome face of his. "I have a house for my own. Near the beach. That's probably a dream come true!"

I made a face at him, something between amusement and taunt. "You like your house better than me?"

"Well, at one point, my house doesn't complain when I do something bad"

Sometimes, he can be so thickheaded it would mentally scar him forever. But sometimes, he could be so smart that it would mentally scar me forever. "I'll just go and take a bath and forget you ever said that…" He laughed and chased me to the bathroom.

**Tell me what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

Breakfast was the usual. What's there to change? We were all laughing about God knows what and we just couldn't help being together. It was the best feeling, having your friends be with you every step of the way. There was plenty of teasing but most of the conversations would usually lead back to Percy's new house. "We can go there for the summer!" Grover suggested with a big smile on his face.

"For a month?"

"I think that's enough… just to have some time alone. And away from school"

The guys chuckled and the rest of us rolled our eyes at how boyish it really sounded like. Honestly, can't they at least focus on the important here? "Percy, sweetie, could you do something for me?"

Seaweed Brain furrowed his eyebrows at me in confusion but nodded reluctantly. See, he can't even refuse me! "Could you get my phone from upstairs? I have to call my dad and tell him where I am. He's probably worried to death about me"

He nodded, kissing me once on the cheek before sprinting upstairs. "This is the happiest I've seen him in my entire life" Thalia commented, smiling at me. "I'm glad you make him happy." I thanked her silently and smiled. It was nice to hear a compliment from someone who I never thought would be at all supportive of this relationship. Then again, Thals is my best friend and she does say that my decisions happen for some reason.

I smiled at him the moment the material of my phone touched my fingers. Since my father wasn't in speed dial, I had to manually go to contacts and call him from there.

In all honesty, he wasn't that mad. Of course he was worried but he wasn't mad at all. He just told me that maybe it would be best if I go home as soon as possible. Maybe it was the fatherly side of him that made me feel guilty for keeping something that he should probably know. I know it may be hard for me to just make it sound like it wasn't a big deal but I can't just eat dinner with my family and say, "Hey guys, Percy and I are madly in love and we already started dating!" It doesn't work like that. I should at least prepare them, maybe distract them before telling them the truth.

"Dad," I muttered in exasperation after asking me where I slept for the tenth time already. "I told you, I shared with Thalia" I know I was lying but he would freak if he found out that I was with my boyfriend the entire night. He's overprotective that way, knowing that soon, he has to let me go for someone who truly loves me enough to fight for me.

There was a sigh on the other line. "I don't want anything to happen to you. I trust Percy but I don't know if I should"

"You should" I told him honestly. "He's the best… friend a person could ever have" I shared glances at the said man and I could tell that he understood why I had to censor all the words pertaining to our relationship.

"I just want you to be safe. You only introduced me to his parents a year after you two became inseparable." He paused and I could almost imagine his face falling grimly. "I arranged with a friend of mine in the office. He has a son your age and I know you'd get along immediately. You're going to meet him tomorrow and your mother approves of him"

I don't know what to say. I already have a boyfriend and my father, who I'm not even that close to, fixed me a blind date. "Dad, I can't." I muttered, almost inaudible. "I'm with Percy then. He's going to bring me to the beach with the others." It was a lie but I had to say something so this 'date' won't happen.

"What if I don't let you go" he was angry, probably sensing that maybe I would get my way this time. I mean, I always do. "It's for your best, Annabeth"

Unconsciously, I reached out to touch Percy's hand just so I wouldn't start crying. He squeezed it reassuringly before kissing my fingertips like he did this morning. "I love you dad, you know I do, but you can't just tell me who to be with. What if I tell you that I already am with somebody?"

"Annie…" he said, a little wistfully, "your mother will get mad at you for this. Who is it that you're with?"

I bit my bottom lip and he smiled at me, that same smile he always gave me. "Don't tell mom. I want to do it in person… she would never understand but I'll try."

"Who is he?" he asked a little more firmly.

"He's my best friend. He's the guy you've been seeing me with ever since I was twelve."

I don't know why but I could sense that he was smiling. "You guys are finally together." The reaction surprised me. I never thought my father would be the least bit interested in my life, much less my _love _life. "After four years of watching you and Percy dodging your feelings for each other, you are _finally_ together!"

"Dad" I whined, "mom will hear!"

"She's not here. She brought the boys to the doctor for a check-up."

Maybe because it was how he accepted the news or maybe how I felt like a weight has been lifted from my chest but either way, I felt like everything was just so light, around everyone. It was nice, having to not worry about anything but my mother finding out. "You're really happy about this, aren't you?"

"Why should I not be?" he asked, "You two are perfect for each other. How come you still don't accept that?"

"I think I learned to do so…" Percy flashed me a grin, hearing that Frederick Chase is just as excited about this as Sally and Poseidon are. "But what about the date?"

My dad thought about it for a second, "I'll just cancel. They'll understand."

"Thank you so much, dad. You don't know how much that means to me"

He laughed heartily, something I haven't heard him do for a really long time. "My pleasure, Anna" he mused happily. It was such a rare moment that I never even bothered with the name that he called me. "I love you"

"I love you, too, dad" I answered sincerely.

And that was when I hung up.

The moment I put down my phone. I immediately ran to Percy arms and hugged him tightly, kissing him more passionately than I ever have in my entire life. He was returning it, more than I was giving him and our lips moved in perfect harmony, our tongues in a battle that he was winning again. His grasp on me was tight, as if he never wanted to let go. I couldn't argue because 1) I agree with him and 2) I couldn't do it without pulling away. And that is the last thing I wanted to do at that moment.

Eventually, though, we parted because of lack of air. And I never thought I would hate oxygen as I do right now.

"What was that for?" he asked, breathing hard.

My still very swollen lips formed into a smile. "Dad said that he was happy for us. It reminded me of Silena's reaction when I told her."

He nodded, saying absolutely nothing before kissing me again. There was something different to it. I just can't pinpoint what it is. But I wasn't questioning him any sooner since I was used to his sudden change of personality. "I love you. I love you so much" he managed to say. I don't know how he did it but he has done the impossible so many times before…

"I love you" I replied softly, placing my hand on his cheek. "And I will never stop"

I know that making promises like that would eventually get me killed but I didn't care. If I could, I will keep it even if the world would stop turning. This was something that I should never let go because Percy, he's one of a kind. You could never find someone as special as him, never find someone as kind and sensitive and brave and loyal as him. I don't know what I'm going to do if we ever break-up.

"Ewww!" Someone whined by the doorway. I immediately pulled away from the man I love and saw that his little sister was standing there, her eyes widening in horror. I mentally slapped myself, thinking that this might have scarred her forever.

Okay, so maybe it was a mistake for me not to consider the fact that we were out in the open for everyone to see. I'm just glad that it wasn't Percy's parents who saw us because I would have fainted at every single comment they would surely give us. "Oh hi, Bella" my boyfriend mused, acting as if nothing ever happened. "What brings you here?"

"Daddy wants to talk to you. Someone named Athena is on the phone" she mumbled in that cute little voice of hers.

Percy and I shared fearful looks but I nodded at him reassuringly, seeing that he needed it. He picked Bella up and headed to the living room where Poseidon Jackson was waiting, his face looking pissed. "Could you please explain the reason as to why Athena sounded like she was going to murder me when she doesn't find out where Annabeth is?"

"Well, about that…" he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Don't even try to explain" his father said, holding up his hand and trying so hard to hide that smile on his face. "I've been in your position once before with your mother but I'm just glad that you're bringing her home later. Am I right, Percy?"

My boyfriend sighed but nodded all the same, looking very disappointed. "Fine dad" he muttered.

He pulled me to the game room where all of our friends were hanging out. Either playing foosball or videogames or arguing or making-out. It was peaceful, something I can only be feeling when I'm around all those people who care about me more than my family ever have. They were my family, something that we've been building and growing ever since we came together. I have been promised one by Luke before, with Thalia, but he betrayed me when he started bullying my friends with another group led by a guy named Kronos. I know it was a weird name but I couldn't really blame him for it. Of course he moved schools the moment he found out that he was hurting me more than those he thought were his victims and I guess he just felt guilty about it.

Anyways, everything was just so happy, so light around them. I know that I should probably treasure this moment because I don't know when I would ever experience this again. I love spending time with them since every second is always so relevant. Every argument important. We weren't the perfect family but we are who we are and we're not really afraid to just be ourselves around each other. It was something all of us needed, someone to be with. And we just eventually found our way to way to one another.

"What are you up to?" I asked as I sat on the recliner, watching Thalia intently.

Whatever this is about, I expect a very bad ending to whoever she's planning to do this to. "I am doing what I have to" she pointed the spitball to her brother who was sucking-face with Piper McLean.

He pulled away in surprise just to see that he was hit square on the neck. Jason groaned and flicked it from his skin and made a face at Piper who was giggling at his indiscretion. "Thalia, don't you think you're being a little too childish" he whined

"I don't even know the meaning of that word" she mused playfully before doing it again, this time it was directly on his cheek. He looked disgusted and I did too before I cautiously took one step away from my best friend, eventually landing on my boyfriend's arms. It was nice to see that they were getting along well (note the sarcasm).

I'm just thankful that I wasn't her victim. Of course I felt bad for Jason but I need to think of myself first before I could think of others. As wrong as that sounds, I can't give what I don't have. It was something my mother thought me when I was a child and, as much as I hate to say it, it was permanently tattooed on my brain. "Thals, could you please stop?" Percy requested but he didn't seem to pay any attention since he was winning foosball against Nico.

"You won't care if I don't"

He shrugged innocently and smiled as he continued with his game. "If you don't stop at this moment, Thalia, I swear to God, I'm going to leave this place" Jason said seriously.

"Fine, I'll stop" See. Thals does have a heart.

Bella entered the room with a wide smile on her face, carrying what seems to be… are those chocolate spiders? Okay, Annabeth, they're just sweets. They're not real. Maybe it was a gift from a friend and they really haven't considered that maybe I was going to ask for some too. "Hey, Bells. What'd you got there?" I asked, choking a little.

"Mommy gave it to me" she said in that cute little voice only belonging to her. "She wanted me to ask if you want some"

I gulped and smiled at her, trying so hard to hide the fear that has suddenly overwhelmed me once again. "N-n-no th-thank you, B-b-bel-bella. Go ask your brother" she giggled and ran towards Percy who took one gratefully from her.

Of course, typical Percy who would never turn down chocolate. Even if that piece of chocolate was in the form of something his girlfriend is terribly afraid of.

Then something caught my eye, something moving in the corner of the wall. My eyes widened in realization before taking a few steps backward, my lips trembling. "Annabeth?" Percy asked, worried. He immediately stopped his game just to look at me and I was glad that he cared about me more than foosball. "Wise Girl, what's wrong?"

The spider crawled down to the floor, to where I was standing as if it was taunting me, scaring me until I get a heart attack. I would like to say that I handled it well, that I just stepped on the cursed creature just to be done with it but I would also want to tell the truth. Honestly, I was screaming my throat out, surprising everyone in the room and deafening my boyfriend. I jumped into his arms, and whimpered as I pointed to where it went. "Spider!" I screamed, "Percy! Percy kill it! KILL IT!"

Thankfully, he did. The moment it went to his feet, he stepped on it. I had to make sure that there was no more of them before placing a tentative foot on the ground. "Well my right ear would never be the same again" he said.

"Thanks, Seaweed Brain" I told him, kissing him lightly. "I owe you one"

He gave me a smile and placed me gently on one of the leather furniture. "God, Annabeth, why are you so afraid of them anyways?" Piper asked, looking at me funny.

I shook my head, trying to get the thought out. It was hard but I somehow managed to just let it slide. "I have bad experiences with spiders when I was young." I managed to choke out, still trembling with the aftereffects of its proximity to me just seconds ago. "A tarantula bit me and I never really felt the same"

They seemed to understand. All of my friends are afraid of something but we all accepted that and made that part of who we are today. We all understood each other in a way that made us special. Percy, he's terrified of the idea of losing someone he loves. That's why he never at all lets anything bad happens to his family. Either the family he was born to or the family that our friends composed of. "What do you suggest we do now?" Leo wondered aloud, fingering a piece of foil that he found lying around.

"Bella!" I scolded when I realized that the girl was eating at least five chocolate spiders at once. "Not too much or else your throat would hurt" she looked disappointed but nodded, giving me what was left of it. It wasn't that bad, you know, seeing that it was just chocolate in arachnid form. It isn't really a spider. But it still gave me goosebumps so I placed it gently and carefully on the nearest table, afraid that one of them would just start attacking me.

She skipped happily out of the door and I managed a smile as I held my boyfriend's hand. It was something I could always do since we were together now. "Come on guys, I'm bored!" Travis whined

"Why don't we just go to the mall?" Silena suggested, looking a little excited. "There's lots of things to do there and I could catch up on my shopping"

Percy and I shared glances and he agreed silently, knowing that there was no stopping Silena when she wants to go somewhere. "Fine with me" he muttered, playing with my hair.

There was a moment of consideration but the others slowly said yes in their very own ways.

Before I knew it, we were driving towards the mall in three separate cars. All belonging to Percy Jackson. "The girls and I would be shopping while you can find some place we can eat" Beck's girlfriend ordered, looking serious.

"Wait, I didn't agree to shopping!" I argued, holding tightly to my boyfriend's arm. The last time I went shopping with Silena, I ended up being forced to buy lingerie. And you know how much I despise lingerie.

"Well too bad because you're going with us"

I groaned and muttered a few curse words under my breath, just so she can get the point that I didn't want to go any close to a clothing store. Especially when that specific store has underwear written all over it. "Just go with it, Wise Girl." Percy teased lightly, kissing me. "We'll see each other soon" A small smile escaped my lips before allowing Silena to pull me to my demise.


	8. Chapter 8

"What do you think?" I asked as I turned around, showing every single side of the dress I was wearing.

Silena tapped a finger under her chin before nodding, looking as if she was proud of her masterpiece. "Beautiful as always" she commented.

Honestly, I didn't disagree with her. I did feel beautiful, even though I know perfectly well that I wasn't. It was just a simple dress the color of my boyfriend's eyes with a deep v-neck that ended on a lace just under my breasts. It was tight in the upper body but a little loose once it reached the waist down. The length was to my knees, matched with black flats that go perfectly with the black purse she handed me. I wonder what Percy's reaction would be once he sees me in this. I bet he would be just as surprised as Thalia and Clarisse are right now. "Annabeth's finally growing up!" my best friend said playfully but she looked happy, almost adoring me with her eyes.

"Shut up, Thals" I muttered, moving back to the dressing room.

Okay, so maybe she did get a little too carried away. I mean, I couldn't even afford this dress, even if you add all of my savings since I was three. Silena, she suggested that she would just pay for it, knowing that she has enough money to buy ten of these. Not to mention the fact that her mother is one of this store's best customers. "Swear to me that you're going to wear this on your birthday"

I smiled and nodded, handing it back to her as I stepped out. "Come on, the boys are waiting for us at the food court" Thalia said suddenly. Coincidentally on her turn…

The could-be daughter of Aphrodite made a tsking sound and grabbed my best friend's hand before she could even plan on leaving. "Thalia, Thalia, Thalia, you didn't think you can escape me just like that, now did you?"

Silena handed her something black before pushing her inside the place I just exited, knowing perfectly well that she would never run away when my friend was watching her intently. "You don't expect me to come out of here, now do you?"

"Yes I do"

I heard groaning as Thalia showed herself to us. She was beautiful, I've always found her that way and I was glad that she finally let herself go. "Nico would be proud" I heard Katie say beside me. She rolled her eyes before facing the mirror, surprising herself with how pretty she really is.

And let's just say that maybe being friends with Silena Beauregard isn't that bad after all.

The guys greeted us with hugs and kisses once they saw us. Since the food was already on the table, mine a cheeseburger and fries, we ate happily. I had to tell my boyfriend how I prefer jumping off a building is much better than shopping with her. But I know that he knew that I was kinda happy that I did so. "You really didn't believe me when I told you that you were beautiful, did you?"

"Thank you" was the only thing I said.

Well, since us girls were done, Silena had to supervise the guys as they picked what they were going to wear. It was easier since they don't have much to worry about, especially when they can wear practically everything that is suited for their gender. "Why do we have to do this again?" Percy asked me, looking at himself in the mirror.

"I dunno" I answered, reading my book even though I sneak a couple of glances at him. "Ask Silena"

"Well, she isn't here so I can't." he answered, pulling the shirt over his head and throwing it to my face. I was pretty disappointed because of what he did but I know I could ask for it later on…

He tried another one on, then another, then another. I never thought a guy could ever be as picky as a girl is in terms of clothing but his only reason was that if he's being forced to go shopping, he has to do it right. "What do you think of this one?" he asked. I looked up from my book and I couldn't really help that smile that has crossed my face.

It was perfect.

I wouldn't go in the details but it's honestly better than what I wore just an hour ago. The sleeves were tight around his arms, just to show off how muscular he really is. He really is the only person who could distract me like this, especially when my focus was all on the book I was reading. "Better than the last one" I told him, acting as if I never cared. But I was actually drooling over him.

"Don't be like that, Wise Girl" he teased, "You know that you love me"

He was right but I wasn't going to give up that easily. I'm not letting myself lose to someone as stupid as Percy. "Mm-hmm…" I muttered as he kissed me lightly. "Maybe you're right." I hate it when my lips have a mind of its own, especially when I set my mind into something I know perfectly well I was against.

"Um, guys, could you go out here for a second?" Piper asked, a little scared.

I raised an eyebrow and tossed Percy his shirt back. He wore it gratefully and kissed me again, as if it was the last time we were going to be like this. Especially with my friends just butting in other people's business. He stepped out of the dressing room, holding my hand tightly in his, just to be face to face with one of nature's greatest disappointments.

Standing there, in the sluttiest attire I have ever seen was Rachel Elizabeth Dare and at least three of her minions.

If it wasn't for the fact that my boyfriend was holding my hand, I would have killed her right then and there. How dare she interfere with my spending time with my friends. She has no right to just go here and do what she does best. What the hell? "What are you doing here?" I asked, giving her my best death glare. Trust me, it is much more terrifying than Nico's would ever be.

Although she winced at the sight (and I am very proud of myself for the reaction), she still acted like how she usually does. "You should know by now that this is my favorite boutique. I'm always here" I face palmed. How could I forget that? She always brings Percy here when they were dating, just for him to see her try out the clothes and show off her perfect (not so much) body. "Anyways, I should be asking you the same thing"

"We're just shopping for the guys" Katie answered sweetly, giving us her if-you-ever-go-start-fighting-again-don't-do-it-here look. "You know, the usual"

One of her friends twitched her nose in disgust the moment she saw me. I bit the inside of my cheek just not to pounce on her. "How long have you been here?" the girl asked, directing the question to me mostly.

"An hour" I replied matter-of-factly.

Since the guys noticed that my tone changed from calm and collected to how a volcano might feel before it would blow up, they pulled me at least three steps backward from where I was standing before. "Now, Wise Girl, we don't want a fight now, do we?" Percy whispered to my ear, saying that this wasn't the best time to get kicked out of the mall.

"I guess not" I muttered, growling at Drew.

"Look, why don't we just go. We can find a better shirt somewhere else." He tugged at my arm and I nodded before following him out of the door. Honestly, I think he exaggerated about what he said. That shirt was perfect for him! And they just have to go ruin that.

"Oh my god!" Silena suddenly said after at least fifty minutes of silence. "I just remembered!"

She dragged us to the nearest bookstore. Okay, so maybe I should be the least bit grateful for the fact that she just brought me to one of my most favorite places in the mall but there was still that nagging thought in my brain that was practically saying that Rachel will do everything to separate Percy and me. "What are we doing here?" my best friend asked, bored.

"I need something to read." She said simply, pulling out one of Nicholas Spark's novels entitled Dear John. I wasn't really surprised by her book choice since she adores romances. I mean, she was the one who forced me to read The Notebook. "I don't focus on my looks all the time"

"Pretty hard to believe" Clarisse mumbled under her breath. I almost laughed at it until I noticed that my boyfriend was holding a children's story book that has a lot of fairytales inside.

I approached him quietly before placing a hand on his shoulder, making him smile. "My mom used to read this to me" he explained, putting it back to where it belonged. "I've always liked the story of The Little Mermaid. I don't know why." Percy turned to look at me and he kissed me gently.

Once we pulled away for air, I handed him something from behind me. It was just a compilation of every single fact known in the sea. Every single fish and coral and marine animal both living and extinct. I don't know what emotions crossed his face but it was something between amusement and excitement.

He decided to buy it. Since he wanted to be just as good a marine biologist as his father, he has to start a little young. I mean, sure, his dad's been telling him stuff about the ocean ever since he was a year old and he grew up loving the water but maybe adding a little more to his knowledge was better.

Thankfully, we got to buy the shirt I wanted for him since Rachel and her cronies went away looking for our group. And we got to give most of the other guys a new style to work on. I never thought I would ever be happy when I go to the place where I would usually be tortured. Maybe the mall isn't as bad as I thought it to be, especially when you have someone like your beloved boyfriend to help you spend your time wisely.

As I sat shotgun on the car my boyfriend was driving, fingering his free hand, I noticed that he was pretty out of it. Of course Percy gets distracted pretty easily, but this seemed a little different from the usual. "What is it?" I asked, worried.

He glanced at me and smiled reassuringly. "Nothing. I'm just thinking"

I guess it wasn't the best time to tease him. I mean, when you see him this serious about something, you know that there's something wrong. At least, wrong for him. "About what?"

"Just about your mother. She's probably thinking of how to permanently separate us even though she doesn't know anything about this relationship. She practically has a really long list of the different ways she could kill me"

Mother. God, she's been behind my back in everything. And now that I have something really good that finally happened to me, she's against it as always. She never understood. She only acted like my mom whenever I got an award in a certain subject like Algebra. Percy may be right when it came to the fact that she's already hatching a plan to just permanently pull us apart but whatever happens, I wouldn't ever let him go. I'm selfish that way. But now that I have him, I'm keeping him.

"Whatever happens" I answered, pressing his fingertips gently on my lips, mimicking his gesture. "I will never ever leave you"

"I'm just scared that maybe I'd lose you"

I shook my head, smiling as tears streamed down my eyes. Ever since we started dating, I always got so emotional in all those little actions that he does. "Don't worry. It won't"

"I know it won't" he muttered with a smile. "I trust you"

That's the bad thing about him. He trusts people so easily. But there is that fact that we've known each other for four long years and I'm probably the only person he can really turn to when he has a problem. It felt nice, how a person could rely on you for an answer you don't even know if you have. But there has always been that lingering fact that it felt sort of like a responsibility. I'm not saying that its wrong, it just scary how he just goes to you for everything and whenever you get it wrong, you're not even sure if that person would ever talk to you again.

Since I just remembered that we have an audience behind us, watching us as if we were a tragic love story that Silena oh so loves, I decided to trace out the letters spelling how I really feel about him. I… love… you…

He turned to me after and mouthed his reply.

There was silence for a while until he drove up the curb and parked his car right up the driveway. Beck and Travis followed suit afterwards and we all entered the house in silence, eventually getting a much unexpected surprise in the middle of the living room.

"Mother?" I asked in surprise, managing a very noticeable gulp. "What are you doing here?"

Instead of answering, she pulled me by the arm to her side, very far away from Percy. "You are going home right now, Annabeth" she ordered, "And I don't want you seeing any of them ever again" She started dragging me towards the door but my boyfriend grabbed my hand before I was fully out of sight.

"She's not going anywhere" he was forceful and if it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation, I would have kissed him right then and there. "She belongs here, with us"

Athena's eyes flashed dangerously as she took a step forward, slapping him directly on the face. "Mom!" I screamed but Jason pulled me back because this wasn't my fight anymore.

"You can hit me as much as you want but I am never going to let you take her away from me." He spat at her face, growling deeply. His hands were in fists at his side and I would almost consider him physically assaulting my mother when he loses control. And trust me, you don't want to see that when that happens. "She's sixteen years old. She's old enough and smart enough to do whatever she wants."

I didn't know what happened next. Everything was a blur the moment Percy finished his sentence. I just saw a flash of blue and gray until I realized that he wasn't really fighting back. He was taking every single blow my mother was giving him and I know that it is all just for me. "Mother, please" I begged, "I'll come with you. Just stop"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Bella crying silently as she watched her older brother getting beat up by that monster of a woman. "Annabeth, no" Thalia said firmly. "Percy, he has a plan. He knows what to do. Don't put all of this to waste. Stay here"

I bit my lip, unable to speak as I watched him wipe his mouth that was gushing with blood. "Mom" it was a whisper. "I love him"

She looked at me as if I was crazy but I gave her my look of absolute sincerity, running to my boyfriend's side and tending to his face. I didn't know my mother could be so good at self defense. Then again, she is named after the goddess of battle so she has to know these things if she's ever going to live up to her name. "Chris, bring Bella up to her room and make sure she stays there. Travis, you get an ice pack. And Connor, call Sally and Poseidon." They all nodded before doing what I told them to do.

I may be exaggerating when I tell you that I washed away all the blood and sweat with my tears but it was partly true. I didn't care if my mother was watching us. I just wanted to show Percy that I'd be willing to do everything just to keep him safe. And two conflicting ideas would start a very brutal war in my head until that idea would win over. "I'm going to be fine" he reassured, kissing the top of my head lightly. "Go to my room and don't come out no matter what you hear" I agreed hesitantly before running up the stairs and into the place that hosted so many of our little secrets.

Since he ordered Piper, Silena, Katie, and Thalia to be with me because this was something only the guys should do (plus Clarisse), I had company. It didn't help much since I was worried to death about how something like this would just turn out badly. "Annabeth, everything's going to be fine. Percy has Jason and Nico with him. Not to mention Clarisse. He's going to be fine" Silena tried but I shook my head, tears streaming down my eyes.

"Why can't she just leave me alone?" I asked no one in particular. "She should know that I love him and hurting him means hurting me. She never deserved to go inside this house in the first place"

"They'll handle everything. Your dad's on your side so everything would be fine. He can talk to your mother and maybe Bobby and Matthew could help too. They practically adore Percy ever since they laid eyes on him" Thalia tried.

It did help, as wrong as it sounded. But my heart felt a lot heavier than it should be. It was as if there was a large brick right on top of the entire thing. "Annabeth, Percy's been through worse beatings. You should know that"

Yeah, she was right. And all of those he survived. But this is different because he doesn't fight back like he knew that it wouldn't do any good if he did so. Whatever this is about, I would be more than happy to tell my boyfriend that it would be fine if he would throw a few punches back at my mother.

"You do know that she would never come with you, right" It sounded like Nico and I guess he was helping out too.

I can't do this anymore. I have to know that he's at least alive. Or I want to spend time with at least one of the Jacksons, knowing that Sally and Poseidon need to help Percy handle the situation. "I'm going to see Bella"

The little girl ran to me the moment she saw me, unable to contain her relief and absolute happiness when she did. I pulled her tight against me and kissed the top of her head, just like Percy would whenever he sees her crying. We were in this together because we were the people most affected by this. Every single hit he's taking for me feels like a stab to the heart with a rusted dagger. I hate it when he gets hurt. It's not his fault that we were dating. It's mostly mine because I insinuated the entire thing.

But here he is, bleeding and bruised because of something I did.

"Athena!" someone screamed from downstairs. It was an older voice, probably in its mid-forties and I felt grateful that Poseidon was finally here. "How dare you enter my house, demand for my son, and just start beating him up in front of his little sister!" Okay, how did he know that? Maybe Connor told them everything that happened and when I say everything, I mean _everything_.

"Perseus took my daughter away from where she's supposed to be!" my so called mother shot back at him in the same tone, if possible louder.

I sobbed silently, hearing that they would even move mountains just for me. And I was just standing in Bella's room crying over it. I don't know what hit me the most, seeing my boyfriend half conscious and still trying to keep me here or hearing my boyfriend's dad having a full on shouting war with my mom. Probably both.

"Shhh" I soothed the little girl who was crying much more than I was. "Everything's fine. Everything's going to be fine." See, I didn't even sound convincing. I never even believed those five words I just said, knowing that there was still something in the world that needs to be worked on. And no one even tried to do so.

There was a muffled conversation from downstairs, probably because they brought it outside or they're just too agitated to keep on screaming at each other. I jumped a good ten feet though when Nico suddenly barged in, his face covered in sweat and blood. And I was afraid whose blood it was. "Where is he?" I asked, trying so hard to wait for the answer. "Please tell me he's still alive"

Thalia's boyfriend smiled and nodded, gesturing for us to go to the room right beside this. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. I didn't care. Percy's probably in a much worse state than I will ever be in my entire life.

And this is probably one of the many times I wish I wasn't always right. Of course, he had the decency to wipe away the red liquid gushing from his mouth just seconds ago but you could still tell that they were there. His face was bruised but not as bad as I thought. So it would probably heal by the end of the week with the proper medication. "Seaweed Brain?" I choked, hoping that this wasn't just a dream.

He gave me one of his genuine smiles that would usually brighten up my day but these were one of those moments where I could just punch him in the gut for worrying me so much. But I don't think he needed that. "Hey, Wise Girl"

I ran to his arms, ignoring the fact that all of my friends were in the same room. You don't know how good… no, that wasn't the word. How great? Yeah, that's it. You don't know how great it is to just be back where I'm supposed to, the comfort and warmth of his arms and his heartbeat beating evenly against my cheek. "Don't you ever do that to me again" I cried, kissing him hard. "Please, I'm begging you never to do that to me again"

"I promise" he muttered lightly, pressing his lips gently on my scalp, just to know that he was sincere. "I won't. Don't worry, I won't."

Then, I felt a light tug on my shirt. Looking down, I saw one of the most precious creatures, so innocent and so young to be suffering this much, staring up at me. I smiled at her and placed her gently on her brother's lap. "Percy" she mumbled, being so childlike I envied it. "Percy"

"I'm here" he whispered to her ear, audible enough for me to hear. This was only for us, only for us. "I will never let you see something like that again."

But there was something about how he acted that told me he didn't say everything to me. "Percy, is there something else? Something you didn't tell me?"

"You should go home" he refused to look me in the eye. "You should go home and start packing."

Did Athena finally found his weak spot that she forced him to tell me that I'm going to be leaving soon? What if she's going to bring me somewhere as far as Canada or San Francisco or Japan? I can't let that happen. I can't even bare the idea of him being ten feet away from me, much less thousands of miles.

Jason looked sad, together with Nico. I guess they heard it too. "You're moving, Wise Girl" he managed a weak smile before holding my hand, as if he was sharing his condolences right after I lost someone I loved. Well, maybe I did.

"Where?" That was the only thing I could ask. Although I feared the answer, I still wanted it. "Where? Tell me Percy!" I demanded, my voice shaking. If it was somewhere far away, I prefer dying by the means of suffocation.

Then he shook his head, chuckling lightly as if he couldn't really keep it in anymore. "What happened to surprising her?" my boyfriend's younger cousin asked, smiling widely. Even the man beside him finally gave in and smirked at my reaction. If this was a joke, I swear to God I would kill him for this. This was an ultimate low even for him.

"You're moving here" he answered, pulling me tight against him.

It took me a really long time to process this. I'm moving… here. Where is here? He doesn't mean that we're really moving in together. We've been dating for about two weeks and we're already staying in the same house (maybe even the same room). Though the thought was surprisingly pleasant, what would my classmates say about this? Surely they would hear this sooner or later and they would just start judging me in that way they're really good at. "You're serious?" I finally managed, pulling out of the hug just to look at him closely.

"As serious as a heart attack"

Before he could say anything else, my lips were on his again, kissing him more than I ever thought was possible for someone who just got out of an emotional breakdown and from another who was just physically beaten. I closed my eyes at the feeling of absolute ecstasy running through my system. How I miss being that carefree Annabeth that I was before I even considered being with Percy. And even though loving him has its consequences, whenever you just go past that, you're going to realize how totally worth all of the pain and suffering really is. "I love you" he mumbled, his breath pushed on my lips.

"I love you, too" I answered back, stroking his cheek gently, just over the place where one of his bruises was.

Mother didn't even acknowledge my presence once I followed her home. Since Percy was there for moral support, I was just glad that I wasn't alone. I kept my goodbyes short, knowing that seeing my little brother's faces would make me regret even agreeing to this decision. My dad, though, was another story. I didn't want to let go of him because he was truly the only person who understood me in that way that he did. Even if he wasn't there to support me before, I was glad that he was here now when I needed him most. "You can come visit" Percy told him, after shaking his hand. "You and those troublemakers"

"I'll try to" my father answered. I could tell he was really close to tears. "Promise me one thing, though, Annabeth"

I cocked my head to his direction but gestured for him to continue. "Promise me that you won't ever get pregnant before you two even considered starting a family together. I want you to be married when I have a grandchild."

That was a weird request. But I do understand as to why he wanted that. "I promise." I swore, hugging him again, picking up my two little brothers and kissing them both on the forehead. Even though they acted disgusted about it, they still looked pretty relieved that I didn't forget them. "Now you two, I'm not going to be there anymore so you behave yourselves as much as possible."

Bobby and Matthew nodded viciously and hugged me again. "I'm going to miss you, Annabeth" the older of the two said.

"No! I'm going to miss her!" Matthew screamed at his brother. I let out one last good hearted chuckle just for them to see and placed them back down. I'm just glad my boyfriend understands how hard this is for me. But I honestly prefer him than my family, as wrong as that sounds.

I then turned to the woman standing beside the door, her fierce stormy gray eyes looking at me up and down as if she didn't know how to treat me. "Athena" I acknowledged. It didn't feel right if I call her my mother, knowing perfectly well that she already disowned me the moment we entered this house.

"Annabeth" she muttered with absolutely no emotion. "Perseus"

Percy nodded at her just for her to know that he heard before opening the door and heading towards the car. Before I followed, though, I hugged my mom because it's the last time I could ever do that to her. She was surprised of course but she didn't return the embrace. I didn't expect her to. "You have to understand that I still love you. As much as you say that I'm not yours anymore, you still are my mother." I paused and held her by arms length. "I'm sorry if I ever wronged you in every single way possible and I forgive you for what you did. You have to know that, mom, before I truly leave you forever."

I meant it. As much as I hate her, I still love her as my mother. I know that will never change, even if I'm already eighty, she will still be my mother and that will never change. Forever. "I-"

"You don't have to say anything" I told her softly. "Just take care of Bobby and Matthew, okay? For me?"

She agreed but didn't say anything else. I just grabbed my purse and walked to the car, where my boyfriend was patiently waiting for me. "You okay?" he asked, wiping a tear from my eyes.

"Yes" I answered with a smile and kissed him just to thank him for never leaving me at all.

We arrived at his house about half an hour later. Since I practically live there now, I guess I could call it my house too. Just between us, being in the same place as he is, where he does everything, sends a secret thrill through my body. I don't know why and I'm not planning to find out soon.

"Welcome home, Annabeth" he whispered to my ear, kissing my cheek lightly as he placed my bags on the floor.

Home. God, it's been so long since I've had a home and here it is, standing strong and proud in front of me. Either the owner of the house or the house itself. But either way, he earned a kiss for good measure, just because I can now and there is nothing to be afraid of. I forgave my mother so I don't have to worry about her anymore and now that everything I ever wanted was within my grasp, I couldn't help but feel how lucky I really am to accept who I am and who I'm meant to be. "Thank you, Seaweed Brain, for everything"

"My pleasure, Wise Girl" he muttered back and pressed his lips to mine once again.

He directed me to the bedroom next to his and opened the door, leaving me because he had to call his mom about our arrival at home. I didn't look yet, afraid of what I might see. Either because it might be either too small or too big for my liking. And it was a mistake for me to just take one glance at it all.

My room was perfect.

I don't know how to describe it. It was as if fate destined for me and this space to finally meet and for me to own it. Since I already have my laptop, he didn't need to put a computer on the table but there was a huge shelf on top of it carrying so many books about architecture and mythology. My bed was heavenly, big enough to fit both of my families without anyone falling off. The best part about it was that it was on top of a platform, guided by three steps on the left and right. The sheets were soft to the touch, pure white with gray lining. The pillows felt like clouds, enough for me to not get up in the morning because of how fluffy it was. Right beside my mattress sat a bedside table, complete with a lamp and an alarm clock. But what surprised me most was the picture that sat in the middle of the smooth hardwood.

Me, Percy, and Bella in the park laughing like there was no tomorrow

"You know, I've always been waiting for the day when The Annabeth Chase goes speechless" someone said from the door. I didn't bother to look, knowing perfectly well who it was. "What do you think?"

I bit my lip and shook my head. He was right. I couldn't say anything. It took my breath away and I didn't deserve to see something so beautiful.

He led me to the terrace where a picturesque overview of their backyard sat below us. The pool was glistening in the sunlight, the leaves swaying in the breeze. The neatly trimmed hedges contained multiple colors of flowers, of every single kind known to man. Even from afar you could see that they were clearly well taken care of. "I've always like it here" he said out of nowhere, looking at me. "It's always so peaceful"

"I see what you mean" I replied, a little softer than his volume but enough for him to hear me. "Why is it better than your room?" It didn't mean to sound like an accusation but after everything that happened, I didn't think I could help it.

The good thing was, he didn't even seem insulted. He just smirked and wrapped a tan, muscular arm around me. "I like things simple. Is that too much to ask, Wise Girl?"

Percy always goes back to those childish nicknames we made for each other when we met. It was mainly on first impressions but I didn't think that it would grow with me as character. Though the main reason as to why I call him Seaweed Brain was because of his love for the ocean. Then there was also the fact that maybe he asks such stupid questions that you would just think that the only thing in that thick head of his was seaweed, maybe the one that unconsciously entered his ear when he was sleeping. "Look, we have school tomorrow and I didn't even start with my homework yet."

Another reason why I accepted his offer of living here with me was because I needed to tutor him. He needs to be taught in the way he learns best. Only I know how that is and I am not going to give it to you now and never will. "Wanna go for a swim?" I asked with a mischievous smile

"You're on, Wise Girl"


	9. Chapter 9

We ended up laughing as he pulled me up from the pool. Of course, he beat me but I wasn't really trying to win. The surprising thing was that he didn't even dare boast about it. Losing to him did come rather rarely, now that you think about it. Anyways, instead of him putting me beside him, I tugged on his arm so he fell from where he was seated, back to the water. "You should have just said so" he muttered, wiping his face.

I smiled and kissed him right then and there. In the middle of the pool. Totally exposed to whatever little shenanigan dear Connor and Travis might have pulled before they left. Look at the last time, they just stayed here for a sleepover when I was fourteen and the moment I woke up the whole living room was covered in toilet paper. Not to mention every single sleeping bag was filled with grape jelly. Sally got mad at them for it but she forgave them real easy. I swear I haven't seen Mrs. Jackson angry in my entire life, I mean Athena angry. But I didn't dare bring that up now.

"What was that for?" he asked once we pulled away but he never really let me drift away.

"That was for nothing." I pressed my lips again to his, "That was for giving me this"

He knew what _this _was and I could tell that he was glad that he gave this up just for me. Whatever happens in the future, I would make sure that I would be with him through everything. I swear this to myself. Either as a friend or as a lover, I will never leave his side. We were stronger together than alone because alone, we are frightened children, seeking the warmth of their mother's embrace. Then everything will just fall into place when you do what you think is right and being with him is probably the best thing I could have ever done in my entire life. "I love you" he said simply yet sincerely.

"Love you, too" I replied.

We spent the entire afternoon in the backyard, sometimes pushing each other on the pool, mostly making-out because we can. That was the best thing about having a boyfriend. You can practically grope him whenever you feel like it and he won't object any sooner because he wanted that too.

Anyways, about an hour or two before dinner, we got ready. Since my room has a shower of its own (and a bathtub but we'll go through the details later), I don't have to worry about waiting outside Percy's bathroom door until he finishes. But that didn't apply to him. Especially when you were still behind the glass door separating you from the outside world completely naked and you forgot to use the lock, it won't be pretty. Thankfully, Percy didn't seem to be the normal hormonal teenage guy he was supposed to be. The moment he realized my situation, he mumbled an apology before closing what he opened.

"Hey, Percy?" I asked, feeling stupid that I forgot to bring a towel with me. "Could you hand me my towel from the closet?"

"Sure" he yelled back in the same tone as I did. He opened the door, tossed me the thick fabric without looking once, and closed it again. See, Seaweed Brain really was a gentleman in his own little way. Even if that own little way isn't what you think it was.

Once I stepped out, I headed directly to the walk-in closet and locked the double doors. Since I was living right under someone else's home, I had to at least go a little more decent that what I wear usually. Then again, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have seen me wearing a bikini plenty of times, mostly because they wanted me to go to the beach with them. So I guess…

I pulled on a pair of jean short shorts and a white off-the-shoulder top. Since I had nowhere to go, I don't have to worry about revealing too much. And I do go out wearing only clothes like this fairly often. I tied my hair to a high ponytail and didn't bother to put on any footwear before heading out, kissing my boyfriend lightly on the cheek. "You look great, Wise Girl" he breathed to my ear, wrapping an arm around me.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Seaweed Brain"

Eating with your boyfriend's family that you've been acquainted to as your own has never been so peaceful in my entire life. I mean, yeah, I did have dinner with them plenty of times before but knowing that I'm technically part of their family now, I guess I should really get used to the fact that they were one of those people who would share stories while they're in the table.

"Papa?" Bella looked at her father and he sighed before standing up and brought her outside. The reason was unknown to me but I wasn't going to question their methods. I may be curious but I wasn't _that _curious.

Seaweed Brain nudged me the moment I was done with my second serving. The food was so good. And when I say so good, I mean _so _good.

"Percy!" his little sister squealed from the garden. He managed a smile before excusing himself from the table, heading directly to the glass doors that led to the backyard.

Okay, being left with your boyfriend's mother that you somehow treat as your mother who practically knows everything about you on the table was both scary and thrilling at the same time. Thrilling because I could finally get to talk to someone I know can relate it in her own little ways but scary because I don't know what to expect. "So…" Sally started wistfully, already smiling at me as if she was about to ask something I know I wouldn't like. "You and Percy are awfully close nowadays"

See, I knew I wouldn't like it. "Sally, where is this conversation going?" I asked. "I don't think I'm ready for this girl talk or something."

"Don't worry, Annabeth, it's not like that." I sighed in relief and gestured for her to continue. "I've never seen my son this happy in my life. And if you make him feel like that, then I'm glad that you two are together." She paused, as if thinking of what she would say next. "I just don't want him to get hurt. You know how a mother is, always afraid of the welfare of her children. I know I could trust you with him since you've proven yourself ever since he introduced you to me."

I smiled at her, kind and sincere. "I love him" I said, "I love him so much"

"Are you sure? Because there is such a thing as infatuation"

A shake of my head got a nod out of her. "I know how I feel, Sally" I became accommodated to calling her by her first name. "And I'm a hundred and ten percent sure that I love your son. I would never ever dare of hurting him so you don't have to be surprised if you will find out that we're going to get married in the future."

"I expect grandkids" I laughed, unable to keep it in. She's been so kind to me, so open to her ideas. She practically told me everything about Percy's childhood and I have to thank her for being the mother I've always wanted. "And I don't think you would ever break-up. It's a woman's intuition so don't worry"

The guys came a few minutes later, carrying Bella who looked tired enough to sleep for an entire eight months. I managed a smile at her half closed eyes as she looked at me over her brother's shoulder, saying goodbye before she was fully out of sight. "How's your stay so far, Annabeth?" Poseidon asked, sitting back down on his place. "Been more than you wanted? Or just average"

I couldn't help but think that there was something else to that statement and I soon realized that it was pertaining more on my sexual life with their son. I made a face at them but I know that they could see right through me. "I'm not going to answer that question" I muttered, blushing as red as a tomato. "As for the first one, I believe that this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life."

"I expected that from you, Wise Girl" Percy muttered, kissing the top of my head right in front of his parents. They seemed happy though, as if they finally got to watch something other than all those fake love stories and sitcoms on TV. "But you should really feel like that because your room is from your design. I just had to modify it a little"

"You?" I gasped. "But… how?"

He smirked, "I have a few tricks up my sleeve" he mused, pulling me close to him.

"How's Bella?" Sally asked, changing the subject.

My boyfriend turned to Mrs. Jackson, giving his mother a nod that would confirm everything. "She's doing fine. Slept a little peacefully tonight but I'll go check on her right before I go to bed"

His parents nodded before standing up, already heading to their bedroom, leaving us alone on the table. Consuela started clearing up so we decided not to delay her, especially when Percy and I could just start screaming at each other either because we were fighting or because we had something to playfully argue on.

"Perce?" I asked as we lied on his bed, staring at the ceiling with my head on his chest and his arm tightly around me. "Do you think this relationship would last? I mean even through college?"

"What do you mean?" he looked a little confused and I did understand as to why he was feeling that way.

I closed my eyes, hoping that I wouldn't start crying again. The idea of losing him was just so painful for me to think of. "That we would get married, have kids someday"

The way he reacted surprised me. The moment I finished the last word of my sentence, his lips were instantly on mine, moving in a gentle staccato that I have missed all too much. "Of course, Annabeth" he breathed, kissing my fingertips. "I don't know how I could have lived my life without you and you can't really expect us to just break-up. Whatever happens in the future, promise me that we will always find a way back together"

"I promise" I mumbled, caressing his cheek. "I will always love you. Never doubt that. They might say that high school relationships never last but we're different. I would die without you. Nothing will ever be the same ever again and I want so badly to just be yours forever. No matter what" I swore. He smiled and kissed the side of my face, his lips lingering on my forehead before he said his love for me over and over again. Each time getting more powerful than the last.

His hands were roaming on my sides as we continued our kiss. It felt endless but we had to pull away for air every once in a while. Percy would twirl his fingers on my hair, sometimes move to my face. "I love you, too, Annabeth. Forever and ever and ever."

We've been together for three weeks and we're already so affectionate. I don't think I could last a day without him kissing me now that we've already started with this relationship. But I couldn't blame him when he gave a muffled groan once I settled myself in between his legs. "God, Annabeth, you're so beautiful" he muttered, still breathing deeply against my neck. "Don't do this to me" this was a plea.

"Don't do what?" I teased lightly, suckling on his ear.

He sighed when my hands travelled to his hair. "Don't do that. I don't think I can control myself if you keep on doing that"

"What's stopping you?"

"The fact that my little sister, who just slept for the first time in weeks, just in the other room. I can't risk waking her up and we both know that you can get loud"

I bit my bottom lip before moving back up. "Maybe you're right" I mused, kissing him again. "Maybe we just have to wait until she's not here"

"Not to mention my parents" I nodded in agreement, settling myself just beside him. The clock said nine but I wasn't that sleepy yet so I was kinda pissed when I heard Percy snoring beside me without a single goodnight.

So much for pulling an all-nighter. "Night, Seaweed Brain" I whispered to his ear

He smiled, telling me that he wasn't even asleep at all. "Night, Wise Girl" he replied.

And with that, I fell into peaceful sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

"Annabeth, could you tell me the phases of Mitosis?"

Biology. I wasn't even paying attention because I know this already. This was preschool for me. It was just as easy as 1+1 or saying the alphabet backwards. Though the latter seemed a little harder for those who aren't…

Anyways, I stood up and looked desperately at Thalia. She shrugged and mouthed, "You can do this" Of course I can. I wasn't afraid of getting it wrong, I was afraid of saying the answer in a way that most people won't understand. I could easily relate this topic to whatever the teacher is saying. "Um…" How can you generalize something as complex as Mitosis? "Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase"

"Elaborate further on that" Mr. Jensen said, looking at me expectantly. "We all know you know the answer, Annabeth." He's got to be kidding me. You can't possible expect for me to just tell you something that I probably can boast about. I just don't want to appear as a nerd to others more than they already think I am. And so, I briefly described each phase without any difficulty, reciting what I know about them and making sure that everyone in my class understood. After all, what's the use of helping out when they don't even know what you're talking about?

My teacher nodded before letting me sit down. Silena tapped me from behind and whispered a "Good job," and I smiled at her in thanks. There may be times when I would boast about my perfect grades but there may also be times when I'm willing to help even those people who don't want my help.

The bell rang and I immediately placed my book in my bag, ignoring the fact that everyone was staring at me. Minus my friends of course. I never thought that going out the door was so pressuring that one little misstep, even just tripping over an elevated tile could cause you more than your reputation but your life as well.

"Hey Wise Girl" Percy muttered, kissing my temple. I smiled and laced our fingers. There were whispers from the nearby group of girls from our year and I fought the urge to scream at them.

You see, gossip travels like wildfire in high school. And all of them are watching you so intently that even one little screw up or just a small argument is their cue to swoop in and fight over the guy. Sadly, that guy is one of the most popular in school and a lot of girls are dying to have my place right now. Then again, there is that fact that I didn't care about them at all. "Hi, Seaweed Brain"

We walked to lunch together, arm in arm. I couldn't stop smiling as he would whisper nothing but loving words to my ear, telling me that I shouldn't listen to whatever they were saying and focus on how I think of myself and what he thinks of me. The weird thing was the fact that he wasn't even eating. There was no food in front of him but he was looking as if every single bite I took already fills him up. "Did you notice how Rachel was looking at you?" Silena giggled softly and I rolled my eyes at how typically Silena it really was. "I was sure that she would just start stabbing you if she could"

"Thanks for nothing" I muttered under my breath but my boyfriend heard and he laughed good-heartedly.

"I didn't know you could say something like that" he mused playfully, reminding me of his tone in the pool.

Maybe it was something that I said that made everyone on my table look at me as if I just yelled something that pertains to a specific teacher or to a specific student. Mostly something bad but I didn't care.

Unfortunately, the silence was broken by the red head that suddenly approached my table, a particular smug look on her face. "So, I heard the news. I was afraid that it was true"

"I thought you saw it when we practically made-out in front of you"

Rachel set her jaw but managed a fake smile, something she's been doing for a really long while. "Well, I thought you were just trying to get my jealous. I know how Percy thinks."

I clenched my hands into fists and stood up to match her level. I was actually at least two inches taller than her and she could be our friend if she didn't act like a total bitch all the time. "You don't know anything about him, do I make myself clear? He's with me now so why don't you just back off" At this note, I pushed her to the nearest table.

"Annabeth" Piper hissed. She always hated seeing people fight. "Nothing will come of it" she reminded me, her eyes serious. "Don't stoop to her level because you are much higher than her"

She was right. But still, she tried to take Percy away from me. Even before this relationship started, she was already trying to take my best friend away from me. I don't know how they dated but I was positive that he didn't feel anything towards her, especially when everything about her was fake. "You're lucky, Dare." I spat on her face, unable to control my anger. "But when you even lay a single finger on _my _boyfriend, I swear to all the gods up there that you won't see the light ever again." She whimpered at my tone because it was the only time that I needed to use it.

"Overprotective much" Travis teased as he popped a grape in his mouth. "But still, we're proud of you, Anniebell"

"Don't call me that!" I screeched at him. I already hate it when our teacher, Mr. D, calls me that. He teaches Greek Mythology, together with my Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner, but only he got me so pissed off about what he calls me. I could tolerate Anna or Beth but I couldn't ever at all stand Anniebell.

Travis raised an eyebrow at me. "Okay, sheesh, relax" He muttered something under his breath but I don't think it would benefit me if I would hear it.

"Come on, I think I know a place where you can cool down" Percy whispered to my ear. I nodded and let him pull me away to our little secret.

I sat immediately at the bench the moment I reached it. I never wanted to go public because I don't want all those people to just think of me as someone who stole the person they really liked. But I loved Percy, ever since the moment I saw him smile. Maybe before I didn't love him like I do now but I still did. "Wise Girl" he sighed, kneeling in front of me and taking my hand.

"Don't" I breathed, shaking my head miserably. "Don't give me that tone"

"Why should I not?" he questioned, a little playfully. But I could tell that he was serious in his own way. "Listen, if you're worried that I'm going to break-up with you for them, you know that I won't ever do that to you"

I smiled and pressed his fingers gently on my lips. I know it was true but I was just afraid that maybe, when he's tired of me, we'd be no more. "I trust you" I settled. "But I don't know what I'm going to do without you. You're practically my life and I know that I would die so painfully if you're ever going to leave me"

Seaweed Brain was kissing me again, just softly, enough for me to regret ever thinking of my doubts in this relationship. Somehow, I became accustomed to feeling his tongue on mine. I don't know what the reason was but I guess we've been doing it ever since we started that I keep expecting that sudden jolt of electricity inside me. I'm just glad he senses that I needed it and he did. "I love you, Annabeth, don't you ever forget that"

"I love you, too"

I don't care if I missed PE but Percy insisted that we go because it was the only time that we get to practice sword fighting in it. Plus, he wanted to learn so badly that he even gave me his puppy dog face. And trust me, it's so cute that it should be illegal. He could practically make me jump off this building with that face.


	11. Chapter 11

I was breathing hard but moved fast enough to dodge his jab. This was the first time he ever learned to do this and he was already so good, as if he was born to do sword fight. "Tired?" Percy asked playfully.

"Never" I muttered before blocking his next attack.

Okay, let me just say that I was kinda distracted during the entire thing because Percy was sweating and when my boyfriend's sweating, you couldn't at all avoid how that sweat was dripping through his body. If he was shirtless, I swear I would have fainted at the sight. Me and probably half of the girls in this class.

He took that moment as a chance to disarm me. My wooden sword went flying to his other hand and a small, lingering smile was plastered on his face. In a second, his sword was behind my neck and the other, on my throat so every slight movement would end up beheading me if ever those things were real.

"Are you positive that this is the first time that you did this?" the instructor was pretty impressed and that was a surprise because he didn't look like he could be impressed that easily.

Percy nodded, handing him back the sword. "It didn't balance well but I had to make do with what I have" he mumbled, wrapping an arm tightly around me. "And I finally beat you in something other than swimming"

"Don't get used to it" I mused, teasing. Honestly, he was better than I expected him to be. At least a hundred times.

We sat back down right beside our friends on the bleachers. All of the guys commented on how he fought, some even begging for them to be taught. I was just afraid of how all the girls were looking at him, as if they just found a new toy to play with. But they knew better than to do so because they had to go through me and everyone knows that they can't do that.

"Percy, do you mind another round?"

My boyfriend managed a smile before shrugging. "I'm pretty tired" he yawned for effect. "Plus, why don't you ask Jason for a go"

The said boy raised an eyebrow at his cousin but nodded grabbing the sword that the teacher was giving him. They did their positions, both having very concentrated looks on their faces before charging. The way Jason fought was very different from how Percy did just a while ago. He looked like he wanted to kill and not to disarm, reminding me of Roman Gladiators in the many movies I have watched. But I know that the guy he was fighting was having a hard time in blocking and defending himself. "You're not planning to murder him on the spot are you?" one of my classmates screamed over the noise. I swear I saw him smirk.

A few more jabs and Jason's sword was at his opponent's throat. "Impressive. Your family has potential. You don't know, maybe it's in your blood." Matt, the instructor mumbled as the blonde lowered his sword. "I'm just curious about who will win if you and your cousin would fight"

Everyone's eyes widened in excitement and they were all coaxing for them to fight. He didn't need any more pushing because he already found that the idea was great training for both of them. "Ready for this, little cus?" Percy teased as he spun the wooden weapon in his hand. This will be much better if they were using real swords instead of fake ones.

"You know I am" Jason answered in the same tone

They circled each other, watching the other's movements. To my surprise, Jason ran straight to my boyfriend but many years of training have paid off. He dodged it the moment they were supposed to crash together and Percy hit his cousin straight in the back with the hilt of his sword. He didn't seem affected. Instead, he was smiling as he moved back to where he was, eying him carefully. "You really take this seriously, don't you?"

"Why should I not? This is probably one of the only moments that I could finally beat you"

Percy let out a chuckle before they proceeded to attacking each other again in that professional way they do. Thalia looked intrigued, almost amused at how she underestimated both. Jason jabbed again, this time aiming to his chest but my boyfriend saw it and blocked the attack, holding his ground.

The foreplay went on, neither really wanting to disarm the other as if they were too into it that they didn't want to end it this soon. I swear, this was probably one of the best fights I have ever seen. And trust me I have seen a lot. "This is getting tiring," Percy muttered, clearly bored. "Why don't we just end this now, Grace?"

"I agree with you, Jackson" And with that, the man charged him, this time, both of them toppling to the ground.

"See, now this is getting exciting" Percy grabbed the sword from beside him and flipped so that he was on top, his sword on his neck.

A lot happened so fast. My boyfriend pulled his cousin up and he greeted me with a huge kiss on the lips. I was smiling as I kissed him back, of course I would, and ran my hand through his jet black hair. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Jason and Piper were whispering nonsense amongst each other and I smiled at how happy she already is with him. Once Percy and I pulled away for air, I nuzzled my face on his neck and twined our fingers. "I love you" I breathed against the skin on shoulder.

"I love you, too"


	12. Chapter 12

Going home after a whole school day to Percy's house was kinda weird since I knew that it was technically also mine. I just couldn't figure out which emotions I want to show, especially when everything just sorta pops out when I see the face of my very perfect boyfriend. And seeing that he refused to leave my side, it happens fairly often.

"Hi, Sally, Poseidon" I greeted as I sat down on one of the many plush furniture.

Seaweed Brain smiled as he kissed both of his parent's cheeks and his little sister on her forehead. "Hi, Bella, how was school?"

The little girl was saying how much she loved it. Seeing that she only started with the second sem. There were some references to the alphabet and how she loved reciting it over and over again. I don't know how she and Percy could possibly be related because my boyfriend despises school. The only thing he liked there are PE and that oceanography class he's taking. Not to mention Greek Myths and Latin. "Figures." I heard him mutter as he placed her on his shoulders.

"Come on, Wise Girl, we've got homework to finish" he mused playfully turning to me. The weird thing was that he was still holding on to Bella.

I shrugged and grabbed my bag, heading towards my room just to get changed. He, on the other hand, went to her sister's room and closed the door behind him. Maybe to tell her something or warn her about what she might hear. The last time Percy and I tried doing homework together, I was screaming at him because he didn't seem to know the square root of 225 (15)

"You really don't know the answer, do you?" I said, exasperated.

He looked up from his pillow and shook his head, looking a little sheepish. If I could just start stabbing him right then and there, I would. "Percy" I breathed, rubbing my temples. He groaned and moved on top of me, causing me to lie down beneath him. "Don't act like that!"

"What if I don't?" he asked, his lips on the shell of my ear. "What if I just wasn't in the mood to study? What if my heart was somewhere else or with someone else? Or if that someone is sitting right in front of me, teasing me"

Percy then kissed me just to prevent me from talking. I tried so hard, so hard, not to kiss him back but he was just so… I don't know how to describe it. Even just looking at me would make me want to make-out with him. But he was smiling when I finally gave in, our lips moving in perfect harmony and my eyes closed at absolute ecstasy. He didn't need to ask permission since his tongue pushed past my lips and was fighting for dominance with mine. I couldn't really think of anything else but him and everything about him. The way he moved was just so precise, as if he knew what I wanted and how I wanted it. "I love you"

My boyfriend pulled away just to look at me, his sea green eyes filled with love. He didn't answer, though, but he didn't really need to. I know he felt the same, knew that he loved me probably more than I love him.

A knock on the door made us pull apart with a sound probably comparable to a plunger being pulled out the toilet. Not only did I have to worry about someone walking in on us when we were practically in the middle of a really hot make-out session but also the fact that maybe that certain someone was a little girl who has seen enough. The unexpected visitor was none other than my very annoying (but incredibly helpful in times) cousin named Clarisse La Rue.

It was pretty hard to believe but her dad and my mom were siblings. Maybe we're not as similar as Jason, Percy, and Thalia but I still couldn't deny the fact that maybe I could be as impulsive as she can be. Okay, back to the point. She looked amused at our position, with him still very much on top of me, his arms on either side of my shoulders. "Um…" there was an awkward pause and Percy had the decency to move to the other side of the bed. But never really letting me out of his grasp.

"What is it?"

"Annabeth, your dad's downstairs with your brothers." She mumbled, as if not really caring. I don't even know why she was the one who was sent to fetch me.

But still, my dad's here!

He was looking at me with a raised eyebrow when he realized my bruised lips, not to mention my extremely red face. Either because I was blushing too much or because it was out of instinct. "Hi dad" I hugged him tightly and ruffled Matthew's hair. Bobby, on the other hand, looked out of it, as if he was thinking of something. He does that fairly often but not often enough for him to be considered as a nerd. So it could be fair, I picked up my other brother and kissed him gently on the cheek. "What brings you here?"

"You did say we can visit any time we want"

"Any other time would be great." I mumbled under my breath. But as usual, that didn't pass through my boyfriend's ears.

He shook his head and kissed my temple lightly. "Don't worry about it" he mused playfully.

I forgot to mention the fact that my baby brothers adored Percy completely. They found him just as perfect as I do, wanted him to be their big bro someday. I think that can be promised since he and I would never even break-up. I'm just a little scared that maybe we won't even reach that stage because we weren't ready for the commitment.

They were running around the house when I finally sat down on the sofa with my dad sitting across me, a tentative look on his face. "You still remember your promise, Annabeth?" I smiled and nodded, telling him that I'm still a virgin and that we never really took that step yet.

He made a face when I said the word and I know that maybe it was kinda weird that someone like my father, who practically had more experience than I do, would be so immature to even hear that specific three letter word we were both referring to. He and Athena did give me "the talk" when I had my first boyfriend at fourteen but I didn't think I needed it because we never really got as far as holding hands in public. Even though I had experience as to how to talk to him, I still found it pretty awkward when he censors all the words that I already know, either with studying Sex Ed or watching all those movies that refer to that.

At least my father had the decency to try not to make it as uncomfortable as it should be.

"Why do you think you're with him?" dad asked, serious

I didn't even hesitate with the answer. "Because I love him" I said simply.

"How are you sure that this is love?"

This was a much harder question. I've learned to trust instinct but this was an unfamiliar sensation on my chest that whenever I see him smile, whenever he looks at me with his beautiful eyes, whenever he just touches me in that intimacy that only a few guys have, I felt as if I just died and went to heaven. "It's something I feel. He… he's different from the other guys. He loves me for who I am and I trust him enough to turn to him when I have problems. He hasn't tried to touch me unless I wanted him to but it happened just once so don't worry, dad" he looked relieved but I could tell that he was going to have a talk with my boyfriend. "Whenever I see him, my heart just jumps out of my chest. It's different from how the usual emotions that I have."

He smiled kindly and reached out to touch my hand. "I'm glad that in your young age, you've finally found that one person that's right for you but remember, Annabeth, you don't know what will happen in the future. Every single relationship must go through a lot of hurt just to test how strong it is. I've seen how he would step in front of you even when you were still friends. He's willing to give everything for you, face everything for you." He paused, taking a deep breath. "You have something most married couples don't have. I don't know how to put it but it's something that comes rarely in people. You've been blessed to love so fiercely and his loyalty might as well kill him in the future."

I let out the laugh and wiped the tears forming in my eyes. "I can see from now that you have a bright future ahead of you. There might as well be thieves that would steal you from each other but I know you can go pass that. Just watch each other's backs. I know you can since you've been doing that since you were twelve. I trust your decision, Annabeth. I just hope you're sure about this"

"I am, more than you could possibly imagine"

My father chuckled lightly, looking over my shoulder. I resisted the urge to take a peak but I know that I won't be able to sleep at night if I didn't. I glanced at the direction Fredrick was pointing at and a small smile escaped my lips.

Standing there, carrying both of my brothers, was Percy Jackson.

He was still in what he wore going down here but his smile changed. Seaweed Brain seemed to have overheard my entire conversation with my father but I think he already knew all of them before it could have escaped my lips. His eyes showed absolute mischief but all the love in the world was present. What surprised me was the fact that he placed the troublemakers down on the floor and pulled me into his arms, kissing me as passionately as he could, with all the strength he could muster.

"I meant what I said" I muttered, pressing my forehead gently against his.

Percy shook his head, wiping the lingering tears on my cheeks. "I know." He breathed, "I feel the same way."

I almost forgot that dad was here, sitting right in front of us with a grin on his face. He stood up and took the hands of my disgusted brothers, their faces priceless as they looked at me to my boyfriend and back to me. I know I shouldn't be blushing but after absorbing the fact that my bros saw me sucking face with a gentleman was totally blush worthy.

They're going to stay for dinner and it was still at least five thirty. The others went here by four and they were kinda surprised to see that we had company. All except for Clarisse, who practically followed us home…

Bobby,  
Matthew, and Bella were playing tag on the grass when we decided that we should go swimming. They thought it was a bad idea because of the temperature. 'They' did not include my boyfriend, by the way. So we just watched the kids as they played, shared stories and talked like before while Percy was training in the pool right in front of us, splashing water at me playfully every once in a while.

"Stop it!" I whined, wiping another water droplet from my arm. "Percy"

"Don't act like you don't like it" I rolled my eyes but smiled all the same.

From behind me, I could practically here the distant whispers of Katie and Silena. They were talking about things like clothes and shoes and make-up, and pairings, and couples, and gossip… the usual girl stuff. I couldn't even stand a single statement relating to any of the above, either because I wasn't one of them or because I had much better things to do that talk about every single person in our year.

A weird ringing got me out of my thoughts and pulled my phone out of my pocket. "Annabeth!" It was one of my other friends, Violet. She was nice but she could be a little crazy when she wants to be.

"What?" I asked, a little surprised by how she said my name.

There was an exasperated sigh from the other line. "Are you or are you not living in Percy Jackson's house?"

That question caught me off guard. I never thought that someone from school, other than those particularly involved, already found out about that. "Why?"

"Just answer my question!" she demanded

I sighed and did, told her everything about it. From the moment Percy and I started dating to my fight with mother. She deserved to know after helping me with so much when all my other friends were busy. We may not be as close as my friends here but she's like a sister to me, someone I could trust.

"You didn't even tell me about it"

"You didn't have to know. This is my problem, not yours"

I could almost imagine her shaking her head at this. "This is probably one of the best things that could ever happen to you, Annabeth. We both know that Percy's the perfect boyfriend and the future perfect husband."

I can't argue with that logic. "That's the bad thing. A lot of people would try to…" I didn't dare finish the thought for it was too painful to even consider.

"You don't have to worry about that. I could see how he looks at you, more than he looked at me." True enough, Percy and Vi dated before, that's the main reason as to why we met. She is probably the only decent person in his long list of ex-girlfriends. And all of those girls want him back.

"I know" I said with a smile, reaching out to run my hand through his hair since he took a break right in front of me and he was now looking at me expectantly. "I know"

The moment I hung up, he pulled me in with him. It was something I never really expected and I squealed as the cold temperature hit my skin. The bad thing was that he was laughing at me when I practically almost drowned. When I finally regained my composure, which was about five minutes later, I started hitting him in every single part I could reach. He acted like he feigned hurt, though, even if I knew that he was just as amused as my father is right now. "Never do that to me again, Seaweed Brain" I mumbled, pushing myself really far away from him.

"Aw, come on, Wise Girl" he mused, wrapping his arms around me. "Just relax a little"

I snorted and hauled myself up to sit on the edge. "Don't be so immature" I shot at him, wringing my hair just to get most of the water out.

Percy pouted and gave me the cutest look I have ever seen. As I said before, his puppy dog face was so freaking adorable it should be illegal. "Annabeth no want to play anymore" he mused in a voice exclusively for children.

I knew I should be mad but seeing and hearing him so desperate to just let me hang out with him was probably the only thing I should hear today. So I finally gave in and wrapped my legs around his waist, letting him put me back in the water. "See, I knew you would-" I didn't let him finish. Because I was there to show him that I love him and that he never really need to try to make me want him. He smiled and kissed me back with passion and aggression and a sweet sense of urgency. I could already hear the children's whines from behind and wolf whistling from Connor and Travis most probably but I didn't care. This moment was only for us, undeserving to the eyes of the outside world. Only for us.

"I love you" I told him simply, unable to say anything else but that.

He kissed the top of my head and held me close. "Love you, too. Love you so much"

It was a mistake for me to run my hand through his hair when we have an incredibly large audience. That _is_ the first thing I do when I want something more and he always did give it to me because he had no choice. He wanted it as much as I did but we couldn't and that was the biggest problem. Anyways, he was holding me close, cradling my head with one hand and grabbing my waist with the other. And he was kissing me again, with much more love and sincerity than the last one. I didn't care if my father would probably ground me forever. I don't care if this would scar my brothers until they die (maybe I do but you get the point). I just want to be with him and that is much more dominant than all those insecurities and doubts I'm having about the entire relationship.

Dinner came and went. We talked and teased and joked and laughed and everything felt so… right. As if my life was meant to be like this, even when I know that there will be that possibility that it would go back to that hellhole. I adored every single second of it, never wanting to miss a moment of the beautiful miracle. "You should have seen the look on Rachel's face when we told her that Percy and Annabeth live in the same house now." Silena all but screamed in the table.

I shook my head, knowing that it was impossible for me to keep something as serious as that from the entire school when one of my really close friends was practically yelling the fact on top of a table for everyone to hear. "And who gave you the permission to share that piece of information?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow, wrapping an arm around me.

She shrugged, "Am I not allowed to tell the entire world that you and Wise Girl over there are soul mates who finally found each other?"

"If you put it that way, I guess not" I slapped him on the arm and he laughed good-heartedly.

"This is serious, Seaweed Brain. What do you think they're going to say when we go to school tomorrow?"

He smiled and looked at me, "I think we all know the answer to that. I'm just not bothered by it because I know that you don't mind the whispering. I'm used to it, anyways"

A sigh escaped my lips before nodding, placing my head on his shoulder. "Let's just hope that it's not as bad as the last time"

And the world just had to prove me wrong.

The moment I stepped foot in the school campus, all the loud noises turned silent. There were absolutely no loud conversations, no laughter, not even whispers. Everyone was just looking at me, staring at me as if they couldn't believe that I had the guts to go to school after I practically stole someone they can't really have. I bit my bottom lip and took the outstretched hand in front of me, just so that I could start walking. "Don't worry about it" he breathed to my ear, holding me close. "Everything's going to be alright"

No one at all spoke the entire day, as if they were in the state of shock. A year ago, I would have enjoyed the peace and quiet but right now, when that silence was made because of me, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. My friends told me that I should ignore them and that was pretty much all I could take before Rachel Dare couldn't stand it anymore and walked to our table during lunch. She looked pissed, almost ready to erupt and I set my jaw and clenched my hands into fists, knowing well that she wasn't worth a millisecond of our time.

Before I could even say a word, her palm made contact with my face. "Rachel!" Percy said in surprise. I was frozen. Never in the entire world have I been slapped on the face. "Wise Girl, are you alright?" he asked, cupping my chin and examining my cheek. From behind me, my friends looked as if they had nothing to say to her, stolen the words from their mouths and threw it in the nearest trash bin.

"I'm fine" I muttered, shaking my head.

"Leave this place at once, Rachel Elizabeth Dare!" It was Silena who said this once she regained her composure, standing up with her hands on the table. "You don't belong here"

She made a face at her but ignored the order. Instead, she got ready to hit me again. I braced myself for the impact when I felt that the man beside me stilled the moving hand. "You don't touch her, you get that?" he said firmly. Rachel whimpered at the tone but agreed, nodding viciously. Percy then let go and gave her one of his most terrifying glares that made me hide under the bed once.

And with that, she stalked away without another glance.

My mistake was that I touched my assaulted cheekbone. I hissed in pain, knowing perfectly well that it will bruise there real good. I won't ever recover from the shock that Rachel Dare would even think of slapping me when she knows that my friends could easily destroy that pretty face of hers. "Annabeth?" my boyfriend asked

"I'm fine" I muttered, standing up.

It was my mistake to lie since he could see straight through me. So, he brought me through the garden just to talk alone. Of course, it's emotional in my part since I had to tell him what was bothering me, other than just getting slapped on the face. He was there to support me, though, for the entire time, listening and giving me comforting smiles. I never thought I would ever be upset about something as stupid as love but it hits me so hard I couldn't stand it.

He was kissing me the moment I finished because that was the only thing he could do. He can't hurt Rachel since he's a guy and he can't really tell her to the teacher since we're not those people. But it was comforting, knowing that he was here to be with me and every single hurt I was feeling hits him ten times more. "I love you" he muttered, caressing my bruised cheek. I winced but smiled at how his warm hand could be so gentle.

"I love you, too" I answered with a smile.

Just to take my mind off that single girl, Percy's lips lingered to my cheek, kissing the bruise lightly before travelling to my neck. I moaned when he nipped lightly on my earlobe and he just smiled, pulling me close to him. "I will never let anyone hurt you." He mumbled, placing a hand on mine. "As long as we're together, I will never let anyone hurt you"

He surprised me when he pulled out a beautiful bouquet of flowers. "I know it's pretty cliché but you should understand that I mean everything that I said."

I hugged him tightly and kissed him softly. This was too much. I never deserved anything he gave me, especially the necklace that I'm wearing right now. Since the flowers were rainbow colored, from red to orange to yellow… and so on, the note said,

_I will love you until the last flower dies_

- _Seaweed Brain_

I frowned as I looked at the last flower, which was purple, and checked if everything was alright. I thought he would love me forever and this would probably die in a few weeks, even if someone takes care of it. I was pretty speechless when I realized that the living piece of nature wasn't really living. What I know about plastic is that it take incredibly long (probably even forever) for it to decompose. That was his message and I adore the sight of him just being so awkward about all of this. "You're an idiot" I didn't mean to say it like that but I think he knows what I mean.

"You know you love me" he whispered teasingly, kissing the side of my face.

"Maybe you're right" I answered after a few minutes of absolute silence. It was nice to just be with him, seeing to it that no one else was here to disturb us.

We were late for English but I was totally grateful that Mr. Blofis, our teacher, was like a father to Percy. Of course, it was mainly because he was worried that he was failing his subject but there was something deeper other than that. I was just glad that it has nothing to do his family.

"Ms. Chase, where is the essay I was asking you to write?"

Oops…


	13. Chapter 13

Days came and went. I tried hard not to punch Rachel on the face and I was pretty much succeeding. The bruise was healing faster than I expected, maybe because of the constant dash of affection on that specific part. We slept in the same bed every night, alternating from mine to his because I don't know if I could sleep without him beside me and the fact that my bedroom wouldn't have any use if I didn't use it. I learned to depend on his warmth on the cool, dark evenings and I was glad that he never even reacted or considered pulling away.

Before I knew it, it was December. The weather turned from cold to freezing in days and I would probably die without a sweater. You see, I was born and raised in California (moved here when I was twelve) and I still wasn't used to the climate here. I guess my body hasn't quite adapted to it just yet. Since Christmas Break started early in our school, we get to spend plenty of time together. We always wake up to a make-out session but we don't get carried away like the last time. I don't think I was ready for it again even when I was starving for that skin to skin contact.

It happened a week before Christmas, when Percy woke up earlier than me. I figured he was downstairs already, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate made especially by his mother but I was clearly mistaken when I opened the door to his bathroom to see that he was wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. I know I shouldn't be embarrassed but the sudden rush of emotion and another specific feeling overwhelmed me so I blushed to a deep shade of red before turning around, praying that he never saw me.

But they didn't feel very nice today.

He raised an eyebrow when he saw me pacing, unable to control the blush on my cheeks as I glanced at his upper body. I didn't dare stare down there because I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. But he was pretty amused as he put his pants on, together with a blue v-neck shirt. "We both know that you saw what you're not supposed to"

I gulped visibly, hoping not to be punished but he looked sad and lifted his shirt. At first, I saw nothing but a perfectly visible set of abs. But as I looked closer, to what everything was really pointing to, I saw an almost invisible scar just above his navel.

"What happened?" I asked, afraid.

There was one thing I know I shouldn't do. That one thing is to prevent Percy from doing what he wants to do. He has a whole lot of scars all over his body, plenty from the many accidents from the sports he play and from the fights he's gotten himself into. But this, this was recent because you could tell that the wound was still closing or has just closed. "Jason and I got into a fight a few days ago, when you were with the girls." He said simply, hiding the wound. I shook my head, knowing that it was my fault for not being there. He and his cousin may get along as brothers but they also act like children and fight over little things, eventually with them wrestling as if they want to kill the other.

"Percy" I muttered, quite disappointed.

"I'm fine, Wise Girl. It's just a scratch" he then kissed the top of my head before heading outside, probably to greet Bella.

Just to take my mind off things, I took a really long shower. The water was cold as it hit my skin but I prefer it like that instead of burning me. Plus, it always makes my thoughts flow down the drain, if that's even possible. Anyways, it felt as if all the weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"Hey, Annabeth." Someone from the other side of the door said.

"Yeah?" I asked, rinsing.

I could almost imagine him smiling. "Could you come out here for a second?"

That's a peculiar request. He knows that I was taking my bath so why would he even consider asking me to come out? But I couldn't even consider turning down an offer coming from him. So I grabbed the towel, dried myself with it thoroughly, and put on a bathrobe that was hanging on a hook. "What is it?" I asked, hoping that this wasn't one of his pranks. I wasn't in the mood to deal with them as for the moment.

He surprised me with a big kiss the moment I stepped out. His lips were passionate as they moved with mine in perfect harmony. I raised an eyebrow at him the moment we pulled away because I never really expected anything like that from him. "What was that for?"

Percy was absolutely ecstatic. It's pretty hard to explain but I guess he heard something he likes. "Mom said we can go to the beach house today! Isn't that amazing?"

Of course it was. He's been blabbing about how much he wanted to see the specific house ever since the moment he was told that it was officially his. "Only us?"

He smiled teasingly, pulling me close to him. "Why? Do you want it to be only us?"

"Technically, yes but don't you think everyone else would want to see it too?" He shrugged but led me to my room so that I could change in peace.

He didn't object when I brought him inside my closet, just so he could see what he wants me to wear and what I'm going to wear. Since it was pretty much my choice, I pulled out a long sleeved shirt and jeans paired with boots. I expected him to argue, force me into wearing something that shows more skin but he just smiled and nodded, running his hand through his hair. To make sure that he doesn't at all feel tempted, I ordered him to turn around. Again, he didn't say anything and did as I told, not even glancing at me.

I bit my bottom lip as I untied the bathrobe, tossing it off. I could already feel the cool breeze sweep through my unpracticed skin and goosebumps sprouted on its wake. Percy didn't look at me, not once, and I didn't think he would. Either that's a good thing or not, I don't know. But still, I was glad I could trust him with something like the image of my naked body. I easily slipped on my underwear and hooked my bra into place, pulling on my pants.

When I slipped on my shirt, I immediately turned to face him, hugging him from behind and placing my chin on his shoulder. He smiled and pressed my fingertips on his lips before kissing me fully.

We separated with a smile and I pulled him out of the closet, to the kitchen where many different breakfast foods were laying on the counter, waiting to be eaten. Much to my displeasure, my boyfriend just packed some for later, kissed his parents and Bella goodbye and headed directly to the garage where his car was located.

The drive was peaceful. Even through the snow, the roads weren't that slippery. I don't know why he finds this the perfect time to go to the beach but I guess I can't stop him once he wants something.

I stared at him the entire trip, smiling as he stole glances back at me before looking back at the road. His sea green eyes were sparkling as if excited to finally see the house of his dreams. His jet black hair was still as messy as it was but I didn't mind. I loved the way the strands fall on his eyes but not enough that I couldn't see them. He was perfect. God, I can't believe he's finally mine.

"We're here, Wise Girl" he muttered as he opened the door. I attempted to let myself out but when I realized what he was trying to do, I completely forgot the thought. He took my hand the moment the door was open and led me to the giant house standing by the shore.

Beautiful. It was the only thing that I could say. It was so beautiful. There were several rooms, all I'm dying to explore. But the one that caught my attention most were the giant double doors sitting right on top of the stairs. My curiosity overwhelmed me and I ran to that place, pushing them open. And my jaw dropped to the ground.

It was a bedroom as big as my apartment, bigger than my room in Percy's home (which I couldn't really think is possible). He wasn't at all surprised as he sat down on the king sized bed, leaning on the headboard as he gestured for me to sit next to him. It was an offer I could never refuse, even if I'm extremely mad at him. I guess because it was such a subtle excuse just to be close to me. Even through his innocent actions, I could see right through him.

"What do you think?"

I smiled and looked at him, kissing him lightly. "How come you act like you've been here before?" I asked instead

He made a face at me but answered, "I guess I expected something as beautiful as this from someone as talented as you. This is your work, after all."

There was a reason as to why everything felt so familiar. That lingering feeling that I've been here before. What he said was the answer to my question. This was all my doing, every little detail coming from me. I guess it was either Percy who noticed that I was good at this that he told his father about it or that Poseidon already knew so he asked his son to ask me to make him a house.

"It's absolutely amazing" I finally said after what seemed to be a really long time.

Thalia asked where we were. She's always in Percy's house by this time of day and I felt stupid not telling her. Then again, there is that fact that she might go here and see what she's not really supposed to see. It wasn't like we're doing anything, I was just afraid that maybe she would misjudge me again and it would end up like it did with school. I just didn't want it to happen again, as much as possible.

I didn't even notice it when the stereo in the living room started playing songs that I've been hearing for quite some time now… **(A/N: I don't own this song)**

_Beauty queen of only eighteen  
She had some trouble with herself  
He was always there to help but  
She always belonged to someone else._

I slowly and carefully approached him, making sure that I was keeping absolute silence as I crept down the stairs. I was surprised when my eyes finally landed on his figure sitting down on the sofa, doing absolutely nothing but tapping his feet to the music.

_I drove for miles and miles  
And wound up at your door  
I've had you so many times  
But somehow I want more_

_I don't mind spending every day,  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain  
Look for the girl with the broken smile  
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile  
And she will be loved (x2)_

Maybe it was a mistake for me to start giggling in the corner because of his absolute obliviousness. He looked at me with a confused look on his face but smiled otherwise, wrapping two tan muscular arms around me. I let out a squeal of delight and kissed him gently, smiling at the warmth he was giving in the chilly afternoon. It was still pretty dark outside but I didn't mind. I guess the earth has to take a break from the sun every once in a while, right?

_Tap on my window  
Knock on my door  
I wanna make you feel beautiful  
I know I tend to get so insecure  
It doesn't matter anymore  
It's not always rainbows and butterflies  
It's compromise that moves us along  
My heart is full and my door's always open  
`You come anytime you want_

I snuggled close to him, smiling as he breathed on my neck, sometimes muttering nonsense to my ear. He would tell me how much he loved me, how much he adored me, how much he wanted this to last. I know I felt the same way but I think my voice left my mouth because of everything that happened. I have been screaming a lot lately, either because I was angry or because I was surprised. Either way, he could still make me shriek as girlishly as possible.

_I don't mind spending every day  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain  
Look for the girl with the broken smile  
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile  
And she will be loved (x4)_

_I know where you hide  
Alone in your car  
Know all of the things  
That make you who you are  
I know that goodbye means nothing at all  
Comes back and begs me to catch her  
Every time she falls_

He told me he loved me again, over and over again and I never got tired of it at all. I loved how each statement gets stronger and sweeter than the last. I loved how his eyes would shine in absolute sincerity as he confessed how he really felt about me. I loved how his grip on me would tighten and his fingers would play with mine. I loved him. I _love _him. I love him so much.

_Yeah,  
Tap on my window  
Knock on my door  
I wanna make you feel beautiful_

_I don't mind spending everyday  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain  
Look for the girl with the broken smile  
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile  
And she will be loved (x2)_

I guess this wasn't the best song at the moment but I couldn't help but smile as he tried to be as romantic as possible. For me, honestly, he never needed to try. But I guess he wasn't as content as I thought him to be because he started singing to me the last two verses in perfect harmony, matching Adam Levine's perfectly.

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye  
(And she will be loved, and she will be loved)  
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye_

_(Please don't try so hard to say goodbye)  
I don't mind spending everyday  
Out on your corner in the pouring rain  
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye_

"I love you" he told me as the song faded

That was probably the best thing he has ever said to me today. "I love you, too"

The kiss was feverish. It was as if we were going to die if we don't devour each other with our mouths in the next twenty seconds. Of course we weren't planning that it would lead to anything other than making-out to the tune of "I'm yours" by Jason Mraz but I could sense that he needed more than that. He was dying to feel me again but I don't think I could handle it this soon. The last time just happened because we thought that we weren't going to see each other for the entire weekend. I'm not saying that it was a mistake, it was just out of instinct that we got to do that.

We gasped for air a minute and a half later. Our breaths were labored but as I counted his and mine, I realized that we were inhaling and exhaling in unison. I smiled and pecked him gently on the cheek before pulling him towards the kitchen, where the food he packed was lying openly on the countertop.

The food was amazing, as usual, and we both ate like savages. I laughed as he wiped his face with the back of his hand. Since I was much more mannered than he'll ever be, I took in my food a little more ladylike. But I didn't lie when I say that I licked my plate clean. You should understand that Percy and I didn't eat dinner much last night and we skipped breakfast. Not to mention the fact that it was probably around two in the afternoon by now.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked as we stood about five meters away from each other.

I've been considering doing it for quite some time now and I don't really have much experience regarding that area. But he seemed to know much more than I expected him to, maybe because he had practice before or maybe because he watches movies with scenes about what we're planning to do. "Of course" I told him honestly but I was shaking on the inside.

The impact was cold, hitting me squarely on my cheek and I shivered in both anticipation and because I was trying to maintain my body heat. He grabbed another fistful of snow from the ground and threw it at me, laughing as he dodged my attempt to get him back. One hit me on the chest and I made a face at him before hitting him on the stomach.

We were in a full on snowball war. Snow was flying everywhere, hitting us both on our exposed skin, sometimes on my chest or arm. When I finally got him on the face, I jumped on him, causing us to fall on the ground, unable to control our unending laughter.

We kissed and played and just talked the entire day. Sometimes, when there was a particular song that he liked that was playing, he would sing to me in that voice that I never really thought he possessed. I took a really long hot bath in my bedroom and Percy did the same in his. Then we talked again, talked about our future and what we want it to be. He said that he just wanted to be with me, not caring about how his career would turn out. "I want to be with you forever" he said, "I want to be there whenever you look over your shoulder, either as a friend or as a lover. I promised to you that we will still be best friends even when this relationship won't work out and I will support you in everything. I mean what I said and I will always be sincere in everything that I will tell you."

Soon, too soon, we had to go. It was a painful moment for both of us because we never really thought that we could just let something as beautiful as this house slip away from our fingertips. This was truly one of the many places that I felt peace within myself and around me. It wasn't silence but of just being me around the person I could trust the most.

We carved our names on the tree that stood strong in the middle of his garden. I know it was a little corny but there was that feeling about engraving something about myself in an object that would probably last forever that made everything feel more realistic. Being with him, having him confess his love for me is a dream that I was afraid to wake up from. It is too good to be true and I was terrified that they were going to take this away from me.

"Where have you been?" Thalia asked once we stepped foot in the house.

I smiled and sat beside her, tucking my legs to my side. "Beach house"

"It's a week before Christmas. Don't you think it wasn't the best time to go there?" Piper was always the logical one, next to me, anyways.

"You can't change a person's mind once it's set."

That was probably the only thing that I needed to do to survive my group. They were all very short tempered people and you can't argue much without it turning into a full on shouting match, even worse, a boxing (more like wrestling) match. And the last time that happened, Percy left with a broken arm. It was something we can't really avoid, the fighting, but it was best if we don't let it happen. Everything will turn out bad if it did.

Anyways, they looked like they wanted to know every single detail. As much as I did want to tell them, it would be just like having them with us. And I didn't want that taken away from us, especially when they would probably find a way to destroy what we already have. They do that unconsciously, ruining something without knowing and in my case, that something was our privacy. "You just have to wait for summer, guys"

"But that's still like a year from now" Jason whined

"You're exaggerating" I told him, playing with my boyfriend's fingers.

The boy did something really mature and stuck his tongue out like a child. As much as I tried to believe that Jason was much more mature than Percy is, there are times when he acts as if he's two. When that happens, I would rather lock myself in my room watching Dora. *Mental Shiver*. I can't believe I just said that.


	14. Chapter 14

"Morning Seaweed Brain" I muttered as I placed all my weight on his chest.

He smiled and kissed me softly on the lips. "Morning Wise Girl" he replied.

You see, a week passed ever since the whole Beach house experience and I never let him out of my sight. I swear, the past few days, Rachel Dare has been stalking us, now that she knows that we live in the same house. If I ever did, we don't know when she's just going to swoop in and take him away from me, kiss him like they did before. The kind of kisses only reserved for us that she could easily take. "You alright?" he asked when he realized that my emotion darkened.

I sighed and nodded, giving him a fake grin. As always, he sees right through me and asked what was wrong. I didn't answer at first, thinking that it was the best that he didn't know about my problem. "It's not such a big deal"

Percy shook his head, placing me on top of him just so that he could look me in the eye. "It's Rachel, isn't it?"

It still was pretty cool how he could read my mind but I prefer it when I had my thoughts all to myself, thank you very much. But I couldn't keep anything from him, couldn't even dare to do so. I love him so that means I should trust him. "She's been watching us, Perce. I see her"

"Don't worry about her" was the only thing he said.

"Why shouldn't I? You don't understand" I bit my lip just so that I won't cry. This was an ultimate low, even for her. "She's going to do everything just to get you. I can't have that." The last was a whisper. I don't think I could grab the strength to put much force into it.

He kissed me again, insistent and passionate. "Whatever happens," he breathed on my hair. "I will be with you. I will never leave you."

I settled myself on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. Maybe he was right. Rachel, she was nothing more than a snobby rich chick with most of the guys in school wrapped around her little slutty finger. But I believe him. He won't ever go back to him. The reason why they broke up in the first place was because she was jealous of our group and how close we are to Percy.

"I guess you're right" I told him, kissing under his jaw, my lips tracing to his neck. "Plus, it's Christmas. I shouldn't worry about these things."

"No you shouldn't" he agreed but he really couldn't hold back the moan that escaped his mouth when I licked the sensitive spot under his ear. "God, Annabeth" he gasped.

But I smiled and sat up, pulling him with me. "We should really get out of bed" I said, pressing my lips to his cheek. "I don't want Sally to think that we're doing what we're not supposed to"

"But we did" Percy whispered to my ear, nibbling lightly on my bottom lip. "Remember?"

"Yes but can we not talk about that right now? Before I literally jump you" he shrugged and moved his feet to the floor, getting up.

We got ready rather quickly, hoping that they would just think that we slept in. It was really hard to focus when my heart was somewhere else with another person. He, right now, was in the other room bathing like I am. I bit my bottom lip, tasting blood as soaped my entire body. I wish that he was here, showing me how much he loves me. That was my only constant wish, knowing that he wanted that as much as I did. But we both know that we can't. With Rachel practically breathing on your neck.

"I love you, Seaweed Brain" I muttered to no one in particular, hoping that he would be able to hear me.

The moment I got down to the living room, seeing the giant tree sitting in the middle, I immediately felt that Christmas spirit running through my veins. Uncountable presents lay under the decorated plant, probably for Percy and Bella. I have always adored this time of year, always loved the fact that I'm with the people I truly care about. Maybe it was for the best that I left my old home. Maybe I was meant to be here more than I was meant to be there.

"Okay, guys, time to open your presents!" Poseidon exclaimed happily, stepping a few steps away from his children. At first, I was confused, but when I realized that my boyfriend and his sister were looking at each other funny, I knew that it would be best if I follow their lead.

"Do they always do this?"

"Ever since Bella turned one, they've always been like this" Sally answered with a lingering smile on her face.

In a second, they were already tearing their presents like crazy. I could have understood how the little girl was acting but I would never understand how Percy would just spontaneously do something like compete against his sister.

Eventually, he made his way back to me, gasping for breath. Even through the cold weather, you could see the thin layer of sweat covering his entire body. "This is much less brutal than last year's" was his only comment.

I don't know how you're going to make something like opening your Christmas gifts brutal, much less opening your Christmas gifts brutal with a three year old. But I could tell that he was happy, that seeing Bella giggling in the corner with a new doll in her hands. I've always found her cute but not _this _cute. I didn't even realize that he was giving me something in a box in red wrapping paper as long as my index finger.

"What is it?" I asked, scared of what might be inside. Not that it was probably one of Percy's pranks (though that might be a possibility), I was afraid because I knew that I didn't deserve it. But he was always so insistent, telling me that I should keep it. It has always been like that ever since we turned fifteen, with him giving me gifts I knew would never be in my budget.

"Open and see" he said with that mischievous glint in his eyes.

I carefully opened the wrapper, watching his face intently. He was patient with me, though, smiling encouragingly and I never thought that he would ever be that kind of guy. But the moment my fingers touched the smooth white box that probably held whatever was inside, I knew I was shaking. I sat gingerly on the floor, just in case I would collapse when I see it. It did happen before and I sure as hell won't let it happen again.

And what I saw shocked me to the bone.

This was the best gift I have ever received in my entire life, rendering me speechless as I held it up just in eyelevel. The metal was cool against the skin on my fingertips, pulling me to the void of imagination. I was dreaming. Of course I was. This wasn't real. Percy Jackson just gave me another pocketbook, probably with a few loving words that I know he meant sincerely.

But this. This was too much. I've wanted this ever since I was a child, ever since I first saw it. It wasn't much but it was very expensive, almost six thousand dollars. The designs was plain but I've always adored those simple stuff, wanted it even more that going over the top with all those jewelry.

_Annabeth_

"I had a little help with Silena" he whispered to my ear, kissing the side of my face lightly. "She insisted that I get it for you even if I knew that you didn't want something so classy."

It was absolutely to die for, almost as perfect as the giver himself. All of his gifts were almost as perfect as him. I knew I had to be afraid of something. I didn't even get him anything. That was my mistake. I should have given him something that he wanted, something he would die to have, knowing well that he would do the same for me. I turned to face the man of my dreams, his eyes twinkling in the morning light, his perfect lips curved up to a smile that could melt me to a puddle of goo at his feet, and his messy black hair falling slightly on his face, the way I liked it. "Thank you" I said, placing my head on his shoulder. "I didn't get you anything, though"

"You don't have to" he whispered lightly. "I have enough presents to last a lifetime"

That was partly true. But still, he deserved something from me. I don't like not giving anything for someone I love. "Maybe I could give you one" I told him softly, looking at him in the eye.

"Wise Girl" Percy muttered, caressing my cheek with the back of his hand. "I told you, you don't have to."

"But I need to" I said gently.

In a second, our tongues were twined in a dance that we've been doing so many times before. But this time, I was leading. Our lips were locked, together again. We fit in each other's arms perfectly, like corresponding puzzle pieces that finally got connected. This kiss was different from the others. This was a little more… loving. There was nothing that could possibly lead to something else other than fainting from lack of air. Though I didn't mind, I don't think I could stand being embarrassed again.

It had to end, much to our displeasure. I never thought that something like oxygen could be so cruel.

My boyfriend placed his forehead gently to mine, pecking me lightly on the nose. He licked his bruised lips but looked as if he was glad that I made the choice of giving that to him. "Merry Christmas, Percy"

"Merry Christmas, Annabeth"

We then turned to our audience who looked happy for us. Bella was already trying to get her brother's attention and she was succeeding quite easily. Her eyes were filled with glee as my boyfriend picked her up and kissed the tip of her nose. I moved so that I was beside him, my head placed on his shoulder with my arm looped with his. He looked so good, looked so happy with his family. He always was so happy with his family.

Nothing much happened the next few hours. All of us were laughing and talking and sharing stories and just being ourselves around each other. I know I should be uncomfortable, you know, having to spend the holidays with the people who practically treated me as their own. But I was glad that they did accept me when they met me.

I was watching Percy with his new laptop, smiling as he typed a few words that probably had to do with homework in English. Instead of leaving us with nothing to worry about, he just had to give us something to remember him by during winter break. Of course, I did mine the moment I got home from that specific day but I guess Percy's just doing what he does best.

"What's that about?" I asked, placing my head on his lap. He smiled and started stroking my hair, leaning back against the couch.

"My awesome best friend" he answered.

Well, Mr. Blofis did say that we can write about anything at all. And as usual, he was reading my mind, "You're the first person that popped in my mind. Plus, I wrote about dad, mom, and Bella last year with the essay about family."

"You're saying that you're doing this because you had no choice?"

"It's not always like that. I do have a lot to say about you" he kissed my forehead for effect before typing another sentence.

_She is the most beautiful person I have ever seen in my entire life._

I smiled as I read it, feeling total sincerity from him. He could have said other things, like focusing on my childhood until the moment I had enough and moved with him or how we met or when we started dating but he chose to write that as his conclusion, summarizing the entire essay. He was perfect that way and I was totally grateful that he wanted to keep me. He was mine and I was his and it will always be like that. "You really mean this, don't you?"

He nodded, pulling me to his lap and wrapping his arms around me, like the usual. "Of course I do. I always mean what I say"

There were many instances in our lives that he applies that very much. And this, this wasn't even topping the others. He was a kind person, sincere and loving in every single way possible. He finds beauty in people, more than they could possible wish for. And whatever he says is always true. "I love you" he whispered to my ear,

"I love you, too" I replied as I kissed him just as genuine as his tone to me a while ago.

I never really expected the others to come but they did. It was already about four in the afternoon and everyone was sitting down in front of the tree in whatever position they preferred. All of us were showing off what they received, Percy having to keep his laptop because he didn't want what happened before to repeat itself today. It was a really funny but incredibly long story that I would say in another time.

"You don't know who I bumped into" Piper said, shifting in Jason's arms just to look at me. Before she could even say the name, I already felt like I know who it is.

"Who?" Percy asked, looking quite unaffected.

Piper smiled widely before looking at the door. "Well, it's not Rachel." That one surprised me. I always thought that maybe Rachel would have been right outside this house, hearing our conversation but if it wasn't her, then who would it be?

"You're kidding?" my boyfriend said, suddenly sitting up. I could see that he was excited and I don't know what it might be that got him in this mood. "They're _here_?"

"Yes, we're here"

The voice was familiar and I could feel that every single worry had just gone. They were here. It's been so long since I've seen them and they're here! This, this was a miracle, more than I could have wished for this Christmas. Everything was so perfect, everything finally falling in place. It did start when Percy and I started going out but it felt as if everything was just right in this world.

I turned to them and ran to hug them. First was the familiar fourteen year old dark-skinned girl with golden eyes from Alaska. "God, Hazel, it's been so long" She nodded, her curly dark hair falling to her face like the usual. But I couldn't help but cry. They were long lost friends who I met and I loved being with them.

The man beside her, though, was standing tall and proud beside her. He wasn't as bad when you get to know him, heck, he was one of the only people who could make me laugh. Seaweed Brain and I could easily relate with them, having to suffer during a young age but we could still easily bond and smile and talk. I trusted them with my life and I don't know how I couldn't have thought of them until now. "You, too, Frank" I told him.

"What's up, man?" my boyfriend asked, pulling him to one of those manly bear hugs. "It's been far too long"

Frank agreed, returning the embrace. "So, what happened while we're gone?"

"Well, Percy and Annabeth are _finally _together" How many times did they say that while stressing on the exact same word? Have they really wanted us to get together the moment we met? I mean yeah, the moment I did see him, I felt my heart did millions of back flips as if it were an Olympic gymnast and it never stopped doing that at all. Still, they don't have to make a big deal out of it.

But being the people they are, Hazel started squealing in excitement, looking at me and the man beside me. "How come you didn't tell me?" she screamed.

"What's there to tell?" I asked, looking at her

She gave me one of her _looks _and I bit my bottom lip. "You and I are going to have a little talk, Ms. Chase"

Before I could even blink, my friend was pushing me inside the closest room (which happens to be Percy's) and locked the door behind her, caging me and the rest of the girls inside. I was hoping so bad that she wasn't going to look at the state of it but my luck apparently ran out. "Who sleeps here?" Hazel asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Um… Percy" but she still didn't look convinced. "And me?" It came out as a question and not a statement

The people with me looked as if they were surprised and I clasped my hand over my mouth, recognizing my mistake. They didn't need to know that so why did I say it? But I guess they will find out because I honestly have some clothes in this room just when I find the need to change abruptly. "What do you mean him and you?"

"Well…" I gulped audibly. Maybe it would be for the best that I don't tell them right now but then again, everything will go really bad if I don't. Especially when Thalia's a little too… expectant of my answer. So I told them what they needed to know, explained every single detail thoroughly and stressing on the fact that we never went farther than making-out. But that didn't slip through Silena's ears, forcing me to admit that we did get a carried away once.

I did, knowing that there was no reason to keep anything anymore. They had to know this relationship and where it is probably leading to. Plus, I made a promise that I would just say what is needed to be said and be done with it. Gladly, they listened quite intently as I told them all my reasons as to why we had to sleep in the same bed every single night. Maybe because it comforts me that he was right there and that everything would feel more real.

"Are you sure you did it only once?" This was my best friend's overprotective sister's side that I was now learning to hate.

"Yes, only once" But she shook his head, "Don't worry about it, Thals. I'm a virgin"

Thalia sighed in relief before heading towards Percy's walk-in closet. He didn't own much but you could tell that all of his clothes were either really expensive or enough for me not to afford any of them. And they were arranged rather neatly, if I do say so myself. You wouldn't really think that it was possible for someone like him to be the kind of person who spends at least thirty minutes of their day to fix their closets.

"He did this?" Piper asked in confusion. See, it was pretty hard to believe.

But I disagreed. "Percy gave Consuela the permission to get things a little more organized in his room"

They all nodded in understanding before sitting wherever they wanted. Since the said house keeper was in vacation at the moment, my boyfriend was in charge of making his bed. But being the lazy person that he is, he didn't do it. I couldn't blame him, we did wake up to the usual make-out session and maybe it just sorta slipped out of his head.

Luckily, they didn't push me any further. Instead, they started asking Hazel about how her life in California was. She said it was great, that she met people that she and Frank bonded easily with. I couldn't quite remember the names but I think it was Reyna, Bobby, Gwen, and Dakota.

You may be wondering how we all met. You see, when the Jacksons went to San Francisco because they wanted to visit me when I still lived there, they bumped into Hazel and Frank. They talked endlessly until they found it right to introduce me to them. We all became friends instantly. We kept in touch after they left and they got closer to the others. It was really easy to trust them and so far, the pose no threat to me or any one of my friends so I did. And look where that led me now.

But I still think I made the right choice.


	15. Chapter 15

I hate school.

That was all there is to it. My boyfriend was rubbing off on me but I couldn't find the heart to just act like I don't care anymore. My father is begging for me not to forget my studies and because I really do care about my dad, I didn't. It was pretty much my mistake to even date someone as stupid as Percy Jackson but you can't do anything about love.

"I think me rubbing off on you has its consequences"

He smiled widely before taking my hand in his, kissing my knuckles lightly. "Well, it wouldn't be fair if you give without receiving, now would it?"

I shook my head before turning to face him and pressing my lips gently to his.

It was peaceful in the rooftop garden, knowing well that there is no one who could possibly disturb us but us and probably most of our friends but they don't at all come here because they know what is going to happen to them when they do. I was just afraid that maybe Rachel would find a way to follow us without us noticing it.

"You don't have to worry about Rachel" he muttered to my ear as he made a trail from my lips down to my neck, sucking lightly on my pulse point. I gave a moan just to let him know that I liked what he was doing. "We're the only people who have keys to this place and I made the principal swear that they won't give any other copy to anyone." He really does know how to read my mind. I sometimes find it creepy but given a certain situation, such as this, it was reassuring.

We were too engrossed in our activity that I almost didn't feel my phone vibrating. Key word: Almost. I groaned and answered the call, realizing that it was from Thalia. "She wanted to know if she could borrow my math book since she forgot it at your house" I told the man beside me.

He just nodded. "Tell her that I'll give it back when I get the chance"

So yeah, I did and I lent her my book before ending the call, focusing on my boyfriend's lips on every single exposed skin on my body. Right at this moment, he was tending to my arm, not leaving an inch of skin untouched. Then he moved to my other arm, going back up to my neck until he found his way to my face, kissing my cheeks, my forehead, my jaw, my nose, until he finally moved all his attention to my waiting mouth.

The kiss was unlike any other. I don't know how to describe it but I knew that I needed it now that school ruined my mood. That was something he couldn't really ignore, something he couldn't stop doing. If he knew that I wasn't in the best mood, he would do his best to cheer me up, just for us. He would kiss all the pain away and hold me until we have to separate. "You don't know how much I love you" he muttered, pulling me close.

I smiled and placed my head gently on his shoulder. "I love you, too" was my reply.

To explain further, we were hanging out in the garden because there was nothing much to do but go home by this time. We were just killing time since the others had clubs and Percy was pretty out of it to go to practice today. He's always so lazy which isn't supposed to be because he was the captain and he needs to be there for the team. But I guess the coach wanted to give him a break after all the hard work he's done for the team. "What ever happened to never missing a single day of training?" I asked, playing with his fingers.

"Well, I guess they want me to take a day off or two just to rest." He flashed me a grin and I felt my heart flutter inside my chest.

After about another thirty minutes of talking, we headed back to the house, surprised to see that Percy's uncle, Damon, was sitting down on one of the many furniture pieces. The weird thing was that he was holding on to a dog that Bella adored all too much. "There is nothing I want more than a surprise family visit" he muttered to my ear. I giggled and pecked his cheek lightly, telling him that I would be at my room.

"I can now see that what your mother told me about you and Annabeth is true" was the last thing that I heard before sprinting off to my safe haven.

The only thing that I liked about school was the fact that there was homework because I get to help Percy out and when that happens, he would get impatient and just kiss me and before you know it, we were in a full on make-out session with absolutely no care in the world. Right now, the annoying thing was that they didn't give us any at all so I had to be a little discreet in telling him what I want him to do for me.

But anyways, I was glad that he gets to see his uncle again after three years. It was kinda unexpected because my boyfriend did say that we had the house all to ourselves just to hear that they were here. I guess it was too good to be true.

Soon after, Percy walked into my room, carrying the very same puppy. Now that she was pretty close up, you could say that she was as dark as a shadow, pure black with brown eyes that seemed too curious. She was cute, adorable to be exact, and I just wanted to hold her and never let her go. "What's her name?" I asked, scratching her head.

"Well, he named her Mrs. O' Leary. I don't know why but it kinda fits"

I nodded in agreement before kissing him gently. "Where's Damon?" the question just happened to escape my lips and I absolutely adored the look on his face when I asked.

"He left but before he did, he told me happy birthday, even if it was like five months ago"

"Maybe he just wanted to greet you in person. You know how busy he is" I told him, letting him sit beside me.

He made a face before placing Mrs. O' Leary on the floor, with her running out of the door and probably to the kitchen to annoy Consuela until she gives her what she wants. Honestly, she is one smart dog. "Is she staying here?" I asked, assuming my position at the garden just a while ago.

Percy smiled. "Yeah, she is. She's a gift for Christmas"

"Why do you get awesome things while I don't?"

Seaweed Brain looked offended. "Am I not awesome enough to be a gift to you, Wise Girl?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. But I didn't mind. Instead, I slapped him playfully in the arm before settling myself back to his warmth.

"I think you know the answer to that question" I mumbled. A lot happened today and I just wanted at least an hour or two of sleep.

I didn't realize that I let myself yawn in front of him. He just placed me gently on the pillows, pulling the blanket over my shivering body. "You should rest. I know you're tired" he whispered gently, stroking my hair.

He was right. I could barely even keep my eyes open. "Okay" I replied in the same volume as his, maybe even softer. "Love you, Perce"

My boyfriend smiled and kissed the top of my head, pulling me close to him. "I love you too, 'Beth"

The moment I closed my eyes, I immediately found myself unable to open them again for I have drifted off to another peaceful sleep.

_Darkness._

_That was the only thing I could see around me. Well, that was until a bright light centered on a specific dark haired man with striking green eyes. As much as I tried to go towards him, I found it impossible since I couldn't move at all. But he was smiling brightly, gesturing for me to come._

_"I can't" I told him. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and worry as he took steps towards me until he was only an arm's length away._

_He reached out and cupped my face, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "Why can't you, Wise Girl?" he asked_

_I shrugged and looked at my feet, realizing that I was glued to the floor. When I told him my situation, he placed a finger on his chin, tapping it as if thinking. "Oh, I know" he moved another two steps closer before pulling me up until I could feel that I was finally separated from my captor._

_"Thanks Seaweed Brain" I said, wrapping my arms around his neck._

_He raised an eyebrow at how I was acting. "Is she alright?" he asked._

_Of course, I was confused. Who was she? And why was he asking about her? Then, I realized that he was looking at me expectantly, his hands moving to my stomach. "You feeling okay, Annabeth?" he looked worried but I just smiled kindly, placing my head gently on my husband's neck._

_"I'm fine" I told him_

_Instead of pushing more on this she, he just pressed his lips gently to mine. And even if this was just a dream, it still felt so real, as if he was doing it right at this moment. "I love you, Mrs. Jackson"_

_"Love you, too, Mr. Jackson"_

_I placed my hand on my womb and stroked it gently. "And that will be always" was the last thing he said before he faded back into the darkness._

I woke with a smile on my face. That was a pleasurable dream but where is the man that was previously beside me? I guess he had something to take care of or maybe he was in the bathroom. I didn't mind though. It wasn't like I had to know where he was all the time, even if he would usually tell me. "Hi, Anna" a voice called from my closet.

"Hi, Percy" I yawned and stood, hugging him tightly.

"How's your nap?" he asked, stroking my back.

I mumbled a reply and let him bring me to the kitchen, where Consuela was making dinner. When I looked at the clock, I realized that it was already 6:54 and I slept for about two hours. "Where's the dog?" my boyfriend was looking at the house keeper expectantly and she gestured outside to the garden where I saw a very overexcited Mrs. O' Leary playing with Bella, who seemed just as hyper.

He joined in the moment we stepped foot on the neatly trimmed grass and picked his little sister up, placing her on his shoulder with her laughing all the way. The puppy was barking now, as if wanting to play too and I was glad that Percy understood and picked up the chew toy before throwing it to the other side of the yard.

It was nice to watch, having to know the fact that he enjoyed being with his sister and now that there was a new addition to the family, he wanted to just let the childish side of him take over. There are times when I prefer that part of him but there are also times that I couldn't stand it. Of course I know I should accept that and I was doing quite well so far, I mean, what would the world be without playful teenagers who would purposely spend time with their little siblings?

I crossed my legs in contentment, leaning on my arms and letting the sight of the setting sun overwhelm me. This was probably one of the best days I had, most especially the fact that I was probably going to get married to the man I love and start a family with him and everything would just be so perfect in the future with him as a partner. "Hey, Annabeth" he said as he sat beside me. I realized that he was covered in a thin layer of sweat but I wasn't at all disturbed by it.

"Hi" I told him, placing my head on his lap. He started stroking my hair and I leaned to his touch, unable to think of nothing but how much he loves me.

"You haven't said much since you woke up" he said, playing with a strand. "You feeling alright, Wise Girl?"

I rolled my eyes, knowing well that he was teasing. "You don't have to do that all the time, you know" he laughed heartily and pressed my knuckles gently on his lips.

"But I still love you." I knew it was cheesy but there are times when you don't have to think about that and just be yourself around a guy. And when you really are like that, then you shouldn't care.

"I love you, too" he replied.

Sally called us to dinner about half an hour later. We didn't argue much and each one of us was already racing towards the table, where all the dishes I adored were placed buffet style. I was wondering what the occasion was but Mrs. Jackson looked as if she just wanted to give us a proper dinner, seeing that we already had a lot to handle and she just wanted to lift our moods.

You see, now that Christmas break was over, the teachers are showering us with homework. Today was the only time that they actually felt bad for us and give us some rest time to be with our friends. Since it was a weekend again tomorrow (time flies by so fast), I had the time to just relax with my boyfriend and my boyfriend's sister and probably the rest of my friends.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't hear Percy's mom's question.

Seeing my embarrassment, she smiled kindly, repeating what she said. "Annabeth, I heard that you are part of your dance committee"

My eyes turned to the specific dark haired boy sitting on my left and, just as I thought, he refused to return my gaze. "Well, Thalia forced me to it. I don't get why it's such a big deal"

The mother shook her head, as if to say that I didn't understand where this was going to. After a few minutes of letting the entire conversation sink in, I stood so abruptly that my chair toppled over and fell to the floor with a loud crash, startling all of the people in the table. But Sally looked amused. "Um… I think I should start with my… homework. Yeah, homework!"

I kissed my boyfriend lightly on the cheek before sprinting upstairs and locking myself to the comfort of my room.

You may ask the reason as to why I was panicking. First off, because I have this really bad feeling that the girls will trap me in this specific room, tie me to a chair, and torture me with make-up. Secondly, Sally may go overboard with the dress and she might as well buy me one of those gowns only princesses wore. And to top it all off, I had to be the person in charge of everything and I had to attend after school set-ups that would start on Monday! This is practically the reason why I refused to join in the first place. I already had a lot to worry about and I still have to teach the unteachable. They're expecting way too much from me and I don't think I could handle the pressure.

_Okay, Annabeth,_ I taught to myself. _Just get a grip. You can do this. Everything's going to be fine! They don't expect that much from you and in a month, you would be dancing the night away with the guy you were practically drooling for ever since you first met._

The thought made a small smile appear on my lips.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

I bit my bottom lip as I opened the door, pulling Percy inside and hugged him tightly. "What is it, Annabeth?" he asked carefully, as if to think of the right words.

As a response, I gave a simple shake of my head. "Come on, Wise Girl, I know when you're lying."

He was right. He's practically a lie detector when it comes to me. My grip on him tightened as I told him my side of the story, how I can't really handle all those people looking at me expectantly, especially when Rachel Dare was watching me so intently.

"You really don't have to worry about that much. Everything's going to be alright" he muttered to my ear, just for me to hear. "Look, I'll try to be there for you as much as I can. Plus, you're with Thalia. How bad can that be?"

Percy gave me his look of absolute obliviousness and I did everything I could just to stop myself from punching him. Doesn't he know how I really feel about this? Or was he just kidding with me because he loved teasing me. But even for him, this was way too evil. "I don't know what to do. Percy, they expect too much from me"

"And you could reach those expectations really easily. You're perfect, Anna, and you should never doubt that."

Out of all the things he could have said, he went with that. I knew I should have argued with him but I couldn't find the strength to. I guess I just have to live with it and maybe it was for the best that I would make him think that he was right.


	16. Chapter 16

Piper was screaming like crazy because of a reason unknown to me. She might as well have been doing so for at least five minutes and I was surprised that she hasn't lost her voice yet. When Thalia seemed pissed enough to ask her what was wrong, probably because she couldn't really stand hearing such noise when just moments ago it was complete silence.

"Ugh, Pipes, what's wrong?"

The girl sighed and smiled at us, as if everything in the world was finally right at that very moment. "Well, do you remember when Jason and I started dating?"

"Yeah, you two just sorta said it during lunch and we weren't really surprised since everyone thought that you were already dating" I answered, playing with the necklace Percy gave me for Christmas. I wasn't really caring much so what else was there to do?

Her eyes were glinting in the sunlight when I looked up. "He finally told his mom that we were together"

That got my attention. You see, Jason and Thalia despise their mother and the only reason why they get to see her every other week was because of the agreement between their parents. I mean sure Peter (aka Zeus for fun) has full custody over them ever since the divorce but I guess their mom forced him into letting them visit her. "You're joking, right?"

"I don't joke about these things"

"And what did mom say?" It was Thalia who said this.

Piper's smile turned to a grimace. "Jason said that she was mad. She asked him when everything started and when he said that it's been like over six months, she… well she lost it."

"Typical"

I felt bad for her, for them. I knew the reason why they have to keep everything from their mom. They practically have the same problem as I have but I guess their mother was a lot more abusive. But I have this nagging feeling that practically stated that I shouldn't really blame her. She's going through a lot of stress right now, since she's an actress, and she just went searching for the wrong stuff. I still can't believe that she would take it out on her children, though.

A call from downstairs made all the thoughts stop. "Hey, Wise Girl?" it was Percy.

Let's just say that I missed hearing his voice. I haven't heard it ever since we agreed to just hang-out with our own gender for the moment and I just felt out of it, you know. Since my heart was somewhere else. "Yeah?" I yelled back, standing up and making my way to the railing.

"Could you come down here for a second?" It was a strange request but I was used to it all.

He pulled me into his arms the moment he saw me. And I smiled as I kissed him softly. "Why'd you call?" I asked, placing my head on his chest.

Percy managed a laugh and started playing with my hair. "I miss you" was his only reply.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the fact that it has only been two hours since we last spoken. But I smiled, feeling the same way. "I miss you, too"

We decided that it was the worst idea to pull us apart. Seaweed Brain and I were meant to be together, never leaving each other's sights. Even when we were still just friends. We refused to stay in a class where we were too far away. That started the reason as to why we have almost all our classes together. The only thing he has that I don't was marine biology.

It was after lunch when we received the very urgent distress call coming from Thalia's mother. Apparently, the news of Piper and Jason gave her a heart attack and she was in the hospital at the moment. Of course, when I saw my best friend's face I could see so many emotions. But I have to admit, she's good in keeping all of that to a hold. "We're going there later" she said and hung up.

What are you supposed to say when you find out that your best friend's mother, who she hates with her life, was in the hospital with that possibility of not waking up again? I should have known how to talk to her then but, seeing that I never really had a situation like her, I kept quiet. Percy, on the other hand, was telling her that her mom would get what she deserves. Either it was good or bad, we don't know. I'm just glad that he didn't say anything like, "it's going to be fine" or "she's alright". That was probably going to piss his cousin even more than she needed to be.

"We're going there together, for support" I told her finally

She looked at me, her blue eyes filled with guilt. "If mom dies because of this, I don't know how I'm going to feel. I might as well be jumping for joy if I get the chance to. But there was something inside me that told me that I should feel bad for her"

"I know that I should trust you with this, sis, but mom has done good for us. Even if it was still so long ago." Jason told her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

As impossible that it sounds, it was true. If you look at another perspective when she abandoned Jase when he was two in the woods, it would seem like a really good thing because he met Piper and Leo and everyone else. Then again, Thalia has been suffering ever since that day and they only saw each other again about three years ago. They grew up apart and that's the reason as to why they don't really know each other much.

And all that happened because their mom would get a lifetime supply of booze.

"When are we going there?" Percy asked, playing with my hair.

They didn't answer at first, as if thinking about it. I gave them their time. It was a really hard question, considering their history. I swear, they only go there just to hang out with each other. Percy even mentioned once that when he was forced to visit, they never at all paid attention to her. It was sad how hard it was to forgive someone when you know that there might be a possibility that when you do forgive them, you tend to expect more from them and you made them worse instead of better.

"Maybe tomorrow" Jason finally answered, his eyes locked on Piper.

We all agreed. What's the point of arguing when you can't really do anything about it? It's just a total waste of breath. "So guys, what do you want to do now?" It was Leo who asked this and all of us shared looks.

"Why don't we just sit here for a while?" I suggested, leaning on my boyfriend's shoulder.

"Or, why don't we go to the beach house and see how it is?" the rest all nodded at the statement and all looked at Percy expectantly.

He was defeated. "Fine" he sighed.

They all but screamed. Everything might as well have thrown one big party if it wasn't for the fact that Bella was sleeping right above this room and we can't risk waking her up.

Okay, maybe I just realized that the drive there was longer than the last time- maybe because Percy was going slowly enough for Beck and Nico to catch up. It was something I could understand but I know that my boyfriend was pretty annoyed at the moment. He was hiding it really well but someone like me can easily see through that barrier. "What's the harm of letting them see the house?" I asked, after minutes of comfortable silence.

"It's not that I don't want them to. But, Wise Girl, we both know that thatis the only place where we could have some privacy"

It was true. We can't do what we wanted to for a really long time in Percy's mansion since there was a child and I would die if his parents found out. They would endlessly tease us and tell us the importance of waiting and whatever. "Don't worry. They're smart enough not to go there when they know that we're there"

He smiled sadly, "I just don't want them to take that away from us"

I nodded and kissed his fingertips. "Don't worry, they won't"

"Are you sure?"

"Did you forget who you're talking to?" Seaweed Brain laughed and looked at me briefly before moving his eyes back to the road.

Honestly, nothing much changed when I entered the beach house except for the fact that the snow melted almost entirely and you could already see the waves rolling to the sand. Everything was still in place, all the furniture unmoved and I smiled at how beautiful it really is. I just can't fully appreciate it at the moment.

Most went around just because they could but I immediately headed to my room, pulling Thalia with me. She is the only person I could trust with something as serious as what I was about to tell her. Plus, she would understand more than Percy will. I mean, she can relate. I locked the door, knowing well that they were smart enough not to eavesdrop on a conversation with me included. It happened the last time and the Stolls ended up with a huge slap mark on their faces. "I have to tell you something" I told her, placing both hands on her shoulders and holding her an arm's length away from me.

"What is it?" she was both curious and worried at the same time. And I know the reason why. I only give this expression when I really need to tell her something that could change her life forever.

"You remember when Percy and I went here before, you know, during Christmas?" I asked. She nodded, gesturing for me to continue. How was I going to tell her this? "Um… there was this moment when I realized that he wanted something… different"

Her eyes widened in realization before letting out a small gasp. "He wanted to?"

"I don't know. It was hard to see what he was really feeling at that time but I swear there was a flash of… of…" I didn't dare continue the statement. The truth was embarrassing enough but I couldn't let her know how I was reacting.

Thalia set her jaw and looked at me, straight in the eye. "Annabeth did you or did you not want it too?"

"Honestly, there was a part of me that did but I know it wasn't the right time to actually go all the way. We promised that we would lose our virginities to each other and maybe I just wanted something more elaborate" It was all said in one breath and an immediate blush crept to my cheeks.

Much to my surprise, my best friend suppressed a smile. "I may be just a few months older than you but I think you're making much too much a big deal out of this. I know that you trust Percy with your life and maybe it would be right for you to share something, you know, more... intimate. I won't lie when I tell you that you both are the perfect couple but I guess it would be best for you to wait for the right time." She paused for effect. "I mean, we don't want you to be awkward with Percy because you tried for it to happen and it didn't." I didn't know how I could blush even more than I already was.

"Swear you won't tell this to anyone, not even Nico or Jason or Silena"

Even though we're practically mature enough to do this, I hooked my pinky to hers. It was the only way I could tell that she would keep her promise. It was sort of a deal between us, something only us to keep. "I swear" she said simply.

Out of nowhere, I hugged her. She has always been there for me, even when I was still a child living in California. Thalia was by my side through every little thing that happened in my life. She knows me just as much as Percy and I know I could trust her with something as serious as this. "Thank you" I whispered to her ear.

I could almost see her smile. We pulled away and she headed to the door, flashing me another grin before leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Thalia was right when she said that I could trust Percy with an intimate relationship. Actually, he's the only person I want for something like that and I will always love him enough to give him everything he wanted. I also know that he's not one of those guys who take advantage of a girl's weakness. He does detect it when it is exposed but he doesn't use it against the person. That's what I liked most about him, other than his physical appearance and kindness and bravery and loyalty and all those other virtues that he possessed that I can't name at the moment.

The creaking of the door put my thoughts to a halt. My eyes immediately went towards where the sound was made and a small smile escaped my lips when I realized that it was no more than my boyfriend who came to check up on me. "I honestly like your room better than mine" he said honestly, kissing the top of my head as he sat beside me

I snorted at him. "You're lying"

"Let's just say that I like it equally" he said, raising his hands in surrender.

We talked endlessly like before. Percy and I had plenty to talk about, many to discuss with each other. The topics shifted from Thalia's mom to school to homework to the pop quiz to Bella then finally back to the house. I know I could trust him with absolutely everything and I should be open to him in order for this relationship to work out well.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain" I said in my most convincing tone. I found it right for me to tell him about my conversation with Thalia. He has the right to know and he might as well react the same way as she did. I was just afraid of how my true intentions would sound like in his ears.

Percy raised an eyebrow at me. "Yeah, Wise Girl?" he asked, giving me the same teasing tone as he did before.

"Thalia and I were talking a while ago about Christmas break, when we went here." I took a very visible gulp. "And, well, I don't know if it's true but that was how it looked to me and I'm just afraid that I might be wrong and embarrass my-" he cut me off with a kiss and all those doubts and insecurities faded away. _I trust him_, I reminded myself, _so I don't have to worry about anything_.

"Percy, I think both of us wanted to… you know…" I blushed. "I didn't think that you did but the moment we came here, I realized that you needed it as much as I did." It was all said in one breath but I could tell that he knew what I was trying to say.

He sighed and wrapped an arm around me. But he didn't say anything. Then again, what would he say? It wasn't easy to answer something that would probably determine the state of your relationship. It was actually my fault because I put him in this situation, especially when everything was going too fast for my liking.

A few minutes passed and I thought that he wasn't going to say anything. Much to my surprise he did. "I'm sorry" he apologized sheepishly. He looked sad, like his reaction when I refused to tell anyone about him and me before. But this time, he was disappointed, more than I have ever seen him before.

"It's not your fault" I muttered, placing my head on his chest. "Remember, no regrets"

Percy shook his head. "I should've known what you wanted and when you wanted it. We're sixteen and we're old enough to make our own decisions and now that we almost did it, I really couldn't help myself" he said, mostly to himself.

"Do you want to?"

He managed a smile at this one. "I always did. I was just afraid that you didn't"

Many happened in merely twenty seconds. I kissed him deeply and insistently and before I knew it, clothes were flying everywhere until we were in the verge of it happening. I was sure that I wanted him, I just wasn't sure if I was ready to be a mother. That was my only fear. If everything would go wrong, I would end up taking care of a baby. Maybe because after most films I watched involving teenage pregnancy, the father would insist that the baby wasn't his and leave the mother as if he didn't know her. What if that happens to me? What if I do get knocked up and Percy would leave me when he finds out? What if…

I pushed him away from me. He was surprised at first but I could see the understanding filling his eyes. I hugged my legs and buried my face between my knees, hoping that he wouldn't see the tears that were now running down my cheeks. But due to the many years of friendship, he did and he was immediately beside me, hugging me tightly. He muttered comforting words to my ear, telling me that it was going to be alright and that we were in this together.

"I- I trust you" I mumbled. "I just don't want anything bad to happen."

He smiled at this, the same lopsided grin that he always possessed. "We're going to take it slow and when you're ready, we can go faster."

Percy kissed me again and laid me down on the bed, him on top of me. His mouth on mine was moving lazily but delicately, his hands on my hips. When I gave him the sign that I was ready, he slowly slipped himself inside me. A sharp cry escaped my lips and my grip on his shoulders tightened. This is it. Everything was pointing towards this and all the cells in my body felt like they were about to explode. He wiped away the tears that again were on my eyes and peppered my face with kisses, whispering words to my ear and not moving an inch.

That went on. He would settle himself deeper when I gave him permission until he broke the barrier, taking my virginity. When he did, he looked at me and asked me if I was okay. I would think of a response that was in between a groan and the actual answer and he would laugh, kiss me gently and continue with what he was doing. I finally let him move and when he did, he held my face between his palms and gave me a smile. He used the headboard for support and just did what he needed to.

"I love you" he told me over and over again.

I smiled and held him tight. "I love you, too" I moaned when he hit a particular sweet spot.

We came at the same time, with a loud cry that our hands did little to muffle. He pulled out and pressed his lips on my sweaty forehead. "That was amazing" he breathed

I laughed and moved so I was facing him, ignoring the lingering pain in my lower abdomen. "Agreed." I said, pecking him lightly on the cheek.

"Any regrets?" he asked

"None" was my only reply.


	17. Chapter 17

Three weeks passed since the entire incident. I was glad when I realized that I wasn't at all pregnant, especially when we forgot to use protection. When I told Percy this, he hugged me tightly and kissed me endlessly. Thalia didn't know about what we did and I wasn't ready to tell her. Plus, she has nothing to do with this and I guess she wouldn't understand anyways. As far as I know, Thalia is a virgin and this might probably go against every single law she forced me to follow.

"I thought she was the one who told you" Percy said as he placed kisses along my cheekbone. "Why would she overreact?"

I sighed and ran my hand through his hair. "Well, Seaweed Brain, your cousin isn't the kind of person who sticks to one idea. She changes her mind easily, especially when the situation grows worse and worse. Maybe she thought that it was the best thing to tell me at the moment and maybe when I tell her, she would start shouting at me and telling me that I wasn't supposed to take that step yet"

He looked at me with questioning eyes. "But you did"

"Yes I did and, as I said, I don't regret it"

My boyfriend nodded uneasily before moving beside me and kissing the top of my head. "You hungry?" he asked, quickly changing the subject. I guess he was just a little uncomfortable, talking about our sexual life with references to his cousin.

"I'm fine" I answered honestly as I played with his fingers. "But you can go ahead if you are"

Percy thanked me, pressing his lips to mine once again before running out of his room and towards the kitchen. I don't know how I knew it since I never left this room ever since this morning but Consuela was making fried chicken. And you know how he is with fried chicken.

Right after he ate lunch, we stayed in the movie room (yes he has that room) and watched High School Musical 3. I guess he was in the mood for singing and theater and sports and since Will Solace, a friend of ours, practically insisted that we watched the first one, we just found ourselves hooked with their lives. "I still can't believe that she's going to Stanford" he said, his hand digging through the bowl of popcorn in front of us.

"Don't question the movie" I scolded. He laughed at this one and kissed me lightly on the lips.

It was peaceful from that moment on. Nobody dared disturb us and we did what we felt like doing. He would kiss me and everything would just feel right in the world. Whenever he looked at me, my heart would stop beating just to admire how beautiful his eyes really are and how perfect his face is and… and…

"I love you" I found myself saying.

He wasn't surprised but he did give me a warm smile. "Love you, too"

The thing I hated most about going to the hospital was the fact that it gave me these bad vibes, reminding me of all the many things that probably happened here. We've been visiting Thalia and Jason's mom for three times now and on those three times, she was unconscious. We don't know if she was asleep or that she was faking it or she just couldn't find the strength to open her eyes. No one forced them to talk to her since we know what will happened if anyone did but I actually felt bad as I watched her once beautiful face go to waste.

"It's been the fourth time since we've here and she's not even awake. Can we go now?" Thalia whined.

I jumped at least three feet high when I heard a weak voice from behind me, weak enough for it to even be considered as ghostly. "Thalia? Jason?"

My best friend winced at the tone. As much as she hated her mother, she couldn't really help but feel bad for her. Jason blamed himself for letting this happen, most probably because the news that he and Piper together was the most shocking thing she has ever heard. "Hi mom" her younger brother mused with an obviously fake smile.

"The nurse told me that you went here to visit before. I'm sorry if I wasn't awake" Then she coughed and I buried my face in Percy's shoulder, him wrapping his arms around me. I may not like her at all but there was something about sick people that made me want to cry.

Thals balled her hands into fists and looked at me pleadingly. But all I could do at the moment was touch her shoulder. "Lisa," My boyfriend said, just to break the awkward silence. "You're looking well" He was always good at covering his emotions but the moment you look in his eyes, you can see all the pity and hatred and guilt that were there.

"Hello, Perseus" she nodded at him and gave a weak smile. "Can you give me some time alone to talk to my children? I really have to tell them something in private"

Jason set his jaw. "I will if Piper would stay with me" his grip on the girl beside him tightened and I could almost imagine her smiling at the act.

"And Nico has to be here too" Thalia's tone was as hard as stone, almost as if she wasn't requesting but ordering.

It was painful when we had to leave her, maybe because we went here to be with Thalia and now we would be uselessly waiting outside the door.

Just to prove my point, I started pacing. Percy was trying to calm me down but he failed miserably. I was panicking. What if something happens and she ends up killing her mom. Trust me, she can do that when she's mad enough. That is the many reasons why my boyfriend was afraid when we were still keeping our relationship a secret. He was afraid of getting his cousin pissed off enough to start stabbing him with her pen.

"Annabeth, could you please just sit down?" Silena begged.

I understood the reason as to why she was acting like this. She gets agitated really easily and seeing me pace was probably one of the many things she hated to do. "Fine" I muttered, sitting beside Percy. He pulled me to his arms almost immediately and I smiled at the warmth he was radiating.

"You okay?" he asked as he felt my forehead. He looked pretty worried and I guess this was affecting him just as much as it was affecting me.

But I smiled at him. What else was I supposed to do? "Of course" I answered, "Why shouldn't I be?"

Seaweed Brain gave me one of his looks that practically stated that he didn't believe me one bit and wanted me to tell him what was wrong or else he would force me. It has always been like that and I guess I got used to the entire process. "I don't know. You just look a little pale"

"Trust me, Perce, I'm fine" I reassured him. He still looked like he wanted to start interrogating me but he looked away, as if to stop himself from doing so.

The moment Thalia, Jason, Nico, and Piper exited the room, we all ran to their sides. At first, we didn't ask anything but when we realized that maybe they wanted to say something but couldn't, I started questioning. It wasn't new to any of us since I was always that certain kind of person but I was glad that they answered me thoroughly and truthfully.

"So you're saying that she's going to die soon and that she's giving all that she has to you two?" Percy summarized

"Yeah, that's basically it" Jason mused playfully. "Why didn't we just say it like that?"

I don't know how we did it but all of us started laughing. Not because of the joke but because we needed some sort of release and it has always been chuckling or smiling or even giggling that practically made me more carefree. I guess I practically proven the "Laughter is the Best Medicine" thing since ever since we started with that rule of life, we never at all got sick. Maybe we did get colds every once in a while but we found a way to laugh at it.

"Come on," Piper urged, having that smile on her face. "We have a lot to talk about"

They told me the entire conversation in full detail. Apparently, Lisa has lung cancer and she has a problem with her liver that can be very deadly. Dr. Hudson predicted that she only has at least six more months to live but there was nothing, not even a treatment, that could make her last a little longer. She's allowed to go out of the hospital by next week and she just has to go there for weekly check-ups but her last x-ray didn't go too well and she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which doubled her chances.

See, I knew everything you do is going to bite you in the butt in the near future.

"And there's nothing we can do?" I asked once they were done.

Thalia shook her head sadly, running her hand through her hair. "Even if there is, she doesn't want it. She doesn't want to spend so much money for a treatment that possibly won't work"

"So she gave up entirely"

"Basically. Dad agreed to take her in for the meantime, take care of her while she's still alive." Jason said

Everything went downhill from there. A week later, Lisa went out of the hospital and to Thalia and Jason's house, where Peter was taking care of her. My best friend and her brother pleaded for Sally and Poseidon to take them in until the time comes since they're not really comfortable seeing her right beside them. Thankfully for them, Mrs. Jackson was a nice lady and told them they could. So they moved in to two of the many guest rooms.

"Thanks, Percy" Thalia muttered, barely audible. "This means a lot"

My boyfriend smiled. "No problem"


	18. Chapter 18

As we relaxed by the pool with me on Percy's lap, him kissing along my neck, and his arms around me, it was peaceful. Well, not really. You could hear shouting from inside which indicated yet another argument from the Grace siblings and both of us were getting pretty tired of it. Ever since they moved in last week, all they did was fight. Fight over the little things and I have never seen either of them so annoyed by the other. "Are you seriously just saying that?" Jason screamed at her sister.

"Well, what else do you think I said?"

"You can say anything you want about me, Thalia, but you don't have to bring up my girlfriend. It's not her fault!"

Thalia looked like she's about to explode. "Well, whose is it? It can't be me since I don't want anything to do with her."

"Why don't you just blame me? I'm the one who told her."

This was the same argument as yesterday. They were trying to see who brought them to this situation in the first place. Whatever this is about, I don't want any part of it because I made that mistake before and I'm not doing that again.

Bella came running towards us, tears in her eyes and her hands on her ears. She's been bothered by the noise ever since the first day and I guess she just couldn't keep it to herself that she had the decency to run to her brother for help. She sat on my lap and I kissed the top of her head just for her to stop crying. "What is it, Bells?" Percy asked, his hands holding the little girl's.

But he's smart enough to know the reason why.

He's been tolerating Thalia and Jason ever since they first met but seeing his sister cry over it for the first time just crossed the invisible line he somehow drew. "Guys!" he screamed, deafening me. Thankfully, he realized that I was also affected and gave me an apologetic grin. "If you're going to fight, please don't do it in front of Bella."

Really? Is that the best he can do? Then again, they weren't in the mood to start fighting with someone as temperamental as my Percy. He _can _beat them just as easily as him beating me in a swimming competition when he wants to but when he doesn't, he would start whining like a little girl. It was annoying when that happens but what can you do to stop something that is officially part of someone from happening?

Silence.

Bella stopped crying and was now playing with a dandelion she found somewhere. We were glad to feel the peace and quiet once again but I still felt like there was something missing, something out of balance. Well, that was when I realized that the siblings weren't around anymore, probably to continue their argument elsewhere.

"You were saying" I mused, tracing patterns on his palm as he muttered sweet nothings to my ears.

I could almost feel him smile at me. "Well, before we were rudely interrupted, I was about to compliment you on how beautiful you are" he whispered, his tone barely even audible.

But I heard and my heart clenched at his sincerity. "Well, I was about to tell you to start reading in advance and maybe we have a quiz on Monday" I teased lightly, giggling at how he looked at me.

"Yeah, whatever Annabeth"

We told Bella to go inside because we both had this sudden urge to kiss the other. When his little sister was nowhere in sight, his lips were instantly on mine, moving in a way I have only experienced before. Yes, he kissed me like this before and that was before we did the act. In any other occasion, I would have willingly done it with him but I just wasn't in the mood for it. Thankfully, he was Percy Jackson so he understood me.

"I love you" he mumbled through my lips.

I smiled and circled my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. "I love you" I echoed with the same amount of sincerity and maybe even more, if that was possible.

Everything was perfect. There was no one to disturb us, no one to stop us but ourselves. The only reason as to why we had to pull away was because of the fact that we needed to breathe. It was actually cursing my lungs for not being able to hold it just a little longer. "Hey, Wise Girl" Percy said as he stroked my hair.

"Hmm" I hummed in response, my lips tracing his jaw

"Can you do something for me?"

Being the blinded person that I am, I found that there was nothing wrong with the request. Plus, he's Seaweed Brain. He only makes me do things he knows benefits me. "What is it, Perce?" I asked, looking at me in the eye.

He looked embarrassed, as if what he's going to ask me took him a really long time to consider. "Well, my homework had something to do with the person you care about the most. I asked my mom before and she told me that it would be best if it's all about you"

"And you only thought of this now?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

"I didn't think you want to do it" he smiled

I nodded. "I will"

My boyfriend looked at me gratefully and stood, telling me to wait before running to the house. What was he going to do? I don't remember any homework regarding that kind of topic. Thankfully, he was here about five minutes later and told me to stand by the tree. I was confused at first but I learned to trust Percy so I did so, keeping my feelings to myself.

I leaned on the trunk and he nodded in approval, pulling out his sketch pad that I never thought he would ever touch. "You're gonna draw me?" I said in disbelief, trying to hide the laughter in my voice. He can never draw. At all. He can barely even make a straight line, much less a person.

"It's something Ms. Johnson asked me to do just for me not to fail." He answered simply. "Now hold still"'

He was asking too much. Being ADHD, I can never hold still but I did my best just for him. And I know he understood as to why my fingers kept on playing with the hem of my shirt.

After about five minutes of barely moving at all, watching him concentrate, and having him look at every single part of me just to see if he did it right. He knew that I could judge him but he didn't know that in those moments that he was drawing, I was thinking of the many words that I was going to tell him.

But what I saw surprised me.

There I was and the way he drew me was perfect, beautiful. The way the shadows stressed only the most important features of my face, my eyes twinkling as if he really did want to make me like that. I would have mistaken it as a real artist's handiwork and until now, even when I know everything about him, he was still full of surprises. I was beautiful in his hands, almost ethereal.

"What do you think?" he whispered to my ear, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

It took me a while to process the question. What do I think of it? Would I lie just to let him do better or do I tell him that this was good enough? Of course it was good enough but we have a system regarding that specific question that we answer a "This is good but you can do better" or something like that.

But I found myself kissing him softly. "It's perfect" I muttered, "Just like you"

"Thank you" he pulled me close to himself and placed a soft kiss on the top of my head.

Regardless his nature, I still found a lingering question that was now flooding my brain. Since when did Percy start drawing that well? I've known him for so long and he has never shown such talent. Was he hiding it for me or did he just find out now? Who found out first? Was I finally rubbing off on him? Was he finally rubbing off on me? Did he love me enough to start discovering his talents just for me? Do I love him enough to do the same thing?

"I know what you're thinking" He placed me lightly on his lap and started playing with my hair, "Mom found out first, when I was five and she wanted me to start practicing since that age. For a while, I did but I eventually got tired of it and gave up at the age of ten. I wanted to tell you but I didn't think you needed to know until our art teacher forced me to do a portrait of you."

"You really do have a talent in the arts"

Percy laughed heartily, placing his chin on my shoulder. "I still can't dance though" he mumbled modestly.

"Sure you can!" I exclaimed playfully. "You just have to practice it! Plus, dancing and sword fighting aren't really that different. You were actually dancing really well when you had the chance" He blushed and I managed a smile. I liked seeing him blush. I've always found him so cute when he did so.

"I really can't"

"Percy, I can start singing right at this moment just to get you on your feet"

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow but shook his head. So I stood up and cleared my throat, stretching my hand out to him. "Take my hand… Take a breath… Pull me close…" I sang, in a voice I didn't own. I especially made it out of tune because I knew he was going to give in.

"Fine, fine, I'll do it" he mumbled curses under his breath. "But you lead"

I beamed triumphantly before wrapping both of my hands around his neck, him instinctively wrapping his around my waist. "Just sway" I replied in a tone much smoother than the one I used before.

So we did, swaying under the cloudy sky to absolutely no music. He would often whisper words to my ear and I would smile and kiss him, enjoying how everything just seemed so perfect. "See, I knew you can do it" He laughed again and pulled me closer to himself.

"But we're not really dancing now, are we?" It was my turn to giggle.

"I guess not but it's pretty close"

That lasted for a long while, having no one but the man I love beside me. We would have stayed like that forever if it wasn't for Thalia calling us for lunch. Percy didn't look too happy about it but once she tells us to do something, our only choice is to do it. I gave him another kiss before pulling him to the dining room, with him whining along the way.

"Where is it?" Mrs. Jackson asked.

Percy smiled and pulled out the paper from behind him, "Here"

Sally's eyes widened in surprise but nodded contentedly. It was like she knew what he can do but didn't expect that it would be that good. She decided that right after he gives the drawing to our teacher, she would frame it in the middle of the living room when he already colored it. He seems pretty happy with that idea and places the portrait in his bag, humming a song to himself before returning to my side.

Surprisingly, my boyfriend helped his mother in cleaning the dishes afterwards. I would never think of him as the kind of person who does his chores but maybe he wanted to surprise me even more. He finds it amusing to see me so amused. The main reason was because he rarely sees me in that state for I expect the unexpected. But this, this is _too _unexpected for me to expect.

That night, I got ready rather quickly. When the girls and I went shopping the other day, well, they found out that I needed a new nightgown just for my boyfriend to see and I was rather self conscious. I have never revealed so much skin to him before, not including the times that I really do have to show him how I look like with no clothes on, and I was rather afraid of how he would think of it. Percy's a gentleman that way, not wanting to touch me unless I wanted him to and even then I still have to beg for his warm hands over my skin.

I got out of the closet wearing a robe on top of the stupid excuse for an article of clothing. As much as I hate to admit it, it was pretty comfortable.

He was watching me intently in nothing more than a t-shirt and boxers, an eyebrow raised at my attire. "You trust me, right?" I asked softly, blushing. I would only do something as silly as this for him and I don't even know if he would enjoy this like other guys would. Plus, I would rather sleep beside him wearing his clothes than this.

"Of course" he replied sleepily, smiling at me.

My hands deftly untied the front of my robe, gulping visibly as it fell to the floor. At first, I couldn't really pinpoint the exact emotions that would cross his face but once it settled to what looked like surprise, I realized that I shouldn't have asked him if he trusted me but if I trusted him. Of course I did. But I just have to admit it to myself before I tell him. "What do you think?" I said with a small smile, bouncing on my heels.

"Well…" he stuttered, running his hand through his hair as if this embarrassed him more than it did to me. "You look stunning, as usual, but don't you think it's a little too... revealing?"

True to his words, my outfit was pretty slutty. The deep v-neck ended at a red ribbon just under my cleavage, showing all too much of what I was trying to hide for such a long time. Also, the length wasn't that decent. It probably reached mid-thigh if I was lucky and I was kinda glad that I decided to wear panties with this. "Silena asked me to buy it." I murmured, unable to look at him in the eye.

He laughed and wrapped his arms around me, placing a soft chaste kiss on my lips. "Don't worry about it." He whispered to my ear, "Come on. We should go to sleep. I'm pretty tired" I nodded in agreement and let him carry me to bed, placing me gently on the mattress as he climbed in beside me.

"Night, Seaweed Brain"

Percy smiled one last time, pressing his lips to the top of my head. "Night, Wise Girl" he said, "My Annabeth." I grinned at the last statement, unable to argue because I know that it was true in every way. Before, I hated it when someone possessed me, especially when that specific someone were my parents but now, now that I felt how it is to be loved by a man so much that it hurts, I'm making him the exception.

I followed the usual routine the next morning. Wake up before he does, get ready, force him out of bed, end up making-out, push him inside the bathroom with some teasing comment, greet Percy's parents good morning, greet Bella good morning, eat breakfast, go to school. This was the only thing that happened over and over again but I didn't argue. It became some kind of tradition for us, something that only we shared. And I learned to accept that as a part of who I am.

"What do you think happened to Lisa? Dad hasn't told us anything about her condition" Jason said with a sigh as we walked through the halls.

Thalia snorted, unable to keep it to herself. "Who care about Lisa? She's nothing to us, remember?"

Her brother looked sad, his gaze falling to the floor. "Well yeah but still, she's our mother. We have to at least care about her, even just a little"

"If that's what you believe in, fine. But I don't give a damn about her. Not anymore"

And at that note, she left the four of us standing in the middle of the hallway, frozen in shock.

It was during History class that it happened. They didn't mean to start chaos in the school grounds but you're not always sure with people like them. You see, I was taking down notes while Percy was playing with my hair, as always, when the fire alarm was activated. Most of the class started panicking but the only thing I could do was grab my boyfriend's hand and run to where we know it started. I know this was a plan from the Stolls just to get us out of class but it wasn't just that. You could already smell the smoke coming from the Chemistry lab and all ten of us were running towards the entrance.

"Travis! What the hell did you do?" Katie screamed at her boyfriend, coughing.

The said boy didn't answer. He looked horrified as he stared inside, where everyone was running to where we were, a mixture of students and teachers and staff. "It wasn't me! I swear! Connor and I, we were messing around when he accidentally knocked down the alcohol and it somehow caught fire. It was an accident!" he looked scared for the first time that I have ever seen him.

We all looked helplessly at his twin and even he shared the same expression. "Look, there's nothing much that we can do now" I gagged as I inhaled a dangerous amount of smoke.

That was when the man beside me froze as if something just hit him like a knife to the heart. "The kids"

"What?"

"Bella! She's in there! Remember, her class took a trip to our school. Mom mentioned it to me yesterday and I can't believe I forgot it. She's probably still in there!" he screamed at me.

My eyes widened in fear but before I could stop him, he was already running back to the fire. I have that feeling, that terrible feeling, that something bad will happen to him and there was nothing I or anyone else can do about it. But I learned to believe in him, know that he was brave enough and strong enough to get out of there alive with his little sister.

Meanwhile, I was searching, hoping to find a trace of the specific black haired girl that I so desperately needed to see. I looked and asked everyone around me. With the help of my friends, we spread out, making sure that we didn't miss a single corner unlooked and asked every single person that we could see. But they didn't know where she is. We talked to her teacher but even she looked worried.

There was dreadful silence for a minute. Everyone was waiting. Percy hasn't come back yet and I was praying that he was alright. I couldn't afford losing him. I would die without him. Sally and Poseidon were waiting right beside me, looking hopefully at the doors that maybe their son would crash through them holding their daughter.

But there was nothing.

I fell to the floor, my heart feeling as if it was willing to stop beating. My breathing turned erratic, every single nerve in my body felt as if they were going to die. We were all holding our breaths, Thalia hugging me as she muttered reassurances to my ear. To my left, the chemistry lab exploded, spewing debris everywhere. And there was this sickening cry from the inside, the sound that was all too familiar to me. She was alive but not for too long. There was still no sign of him, not even a single call that could make me hope for the best.

Nothing.

The teachers lowered their heads for the boy who was brave enough to save a little girl where his chances of surviving were very limited. Everyone was in the verge of tears, praying for one last miracle. Firemen were arriving in tens, already drenching the remains of our school. Me. I couldn't even describe what state I was in. I felt as if I was dead, not physically, but emotionally. Just last night we were so happy and now, he… he was gone. For good. I didn't know how I felt.

I would never accept the fact that he was dead. No. Percy and I have suffered through enough just to prove that he wouldn't leave so easily. If they found his body in there, still holding on to Bella, his heart pierced with glass, his skin burned to the bone while the little girl was left unharmed, I would never forgive myself. I love him and now that there was this possibility that he was gone for good, I don't know if I was still alive.

Many things happened at once. The doors burst open and a man with black hair and striking green eyes was running towards us, carrying the little girl with the same raven hair with eyes as blue as the ocean, filled with tears. I didn't care if many people were watching. He was here. Alive! Very much alive. "Percy?" I never thought my throat would ever feel this dry.

He looked at me and smiled, falling to his knees as he placed his little sister on the ground. I sobbed in relief and hugged him tightly, kissing him as if the world would end tomorrow. And he held me as I cried and cried and cried like a lost girl searching for a home. "Don't you ever do that to me again" I screamed at him.

And he laughed lightly, kissing the top of my head. "I love you" he told me

"I love you, too" I replied, "So much."

The medics tended to his wounds but I never dared let go of his hand. Bella was shaking beside him, as if traumatized, but she wasn't at all hurt. No scars. No burns. Not even a single scratch. She was just afraid but she was left untouched. Seaweed Brain, on the other hand, looked as if he took every single blow for his sister. His left arm was scorched but not serious enough for me to puke. There was a long cut on his leg, indicating that he must have fell and landed on something sharp enough to wound him through his jeans. Thank God that his face wasn't at all harmed. Well yeah it was covered in soot but a little cleaning up would be good for that.

"Percy" someone cooed from behind me. I winced at the voice, knowing all too well that it was the school slut. "You were so brave, saving Bella like that." She giggled and placed her dirty hands on my boyfriend's arm.

But he didn't seem affected. He just looked at her in that way that he did and muttered five simple words. "Rachel, thanks but no thanks" And with that, he shrugged her hand off and told her to go away.

That made me smile, placing a soft kiss on his cheek as I sat beside him. They left a bandage around his arm after they put the ointment and they also managed to disinfect that wound and some other cuts on his leg before leaving him. "You scared me to death" I whispered to him, my head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry"

"You don't have to be. I'm glad you chose to go back in for Bella. I just didn't want you to leave me especially when all the other people I loved did."

My boyfriend placed a finger under my chin, making me look at him. "I will never, ever, leave you, Wise Girl. Remember that" He kissed me passionately, letting all his emotions show in that single action. And when he did, he cupped my cheeks, holding me close as if I was the only thing he has from falling to a hungry pit of tigers.

"I trust you, Seaweed Brain" I whispered when we pulled away, with him wiping the tears from my eyes.

Our principal, Mr. Gristle, said that as they were making the repairs in our school, we students a responsible for our own education. So, my friends and I (excluding Percy) agreed to give at least one hour of our free time for group studying. He expects everything to be back as it is by the end of the month and that is still three and a half weeks from now so we have plenty of time.

And maybe, just maybe, this was a learning experience for all of us.


	19. Chapter 19

Two days passed ever since the school burned down. No one blamed the Stolls even if some of the teachers tried to because they knew that they were feeling guilty about it even if they were planning for it for such a long time. Percy's wounds have healed pretty quickly but you could already see the scar that was replacing it. And every time that I would look at the entire thing, how I let him to suffer so much physical pain, I would start crying, at least start tearing up.

"Why don't you just take this seriously, Seaweed Brain?" I sighed in exasperation, placing my Biology book on the table. "You're not even trying!"

He looked as if he was about to argue but the sudden knock on the door forced him not to. "We're not decent!" he screamed with a knowing grin on his face and I smacked him upside the head.

"I don't care." The familiar voice said. "I'm going in any other way"

"What is it, Thals?" I asked, looking at her with lingering annoyance in my features.

For the first time in so many years, Thalia Grace looked as if she was about to cry which surprised me because when she talked like thirty seconds ago, her voice was completely steady, as if it was another typical day (and I strongly believe that it is). But now, now that you look at her, it made everything that you know about her dissolve and be replaced with her broken figure. "Thalia?"

"Jason's in the hospital" she choked the words out too fast for us to understand but the moment that we did, we simultaneously screamed,

"What!" Percy was the one who looked most affected, worried as to how his younger cousin was sent into this situation in the first place.

My best friend shook her head. "They don't know what happened. There was an accident when he was dropping off Piper and I guess the driver of the other car was drunk so he didn't notice him crossing the street and… and…" she took a deep breath. "It's pretty bad"

"When did this happen?"

"Two hours ago"

Our eyes met with the same look that was asking just one question: How come we didn't know about this sooner? Was Percy's parents informed of the accident? Does Piper know? Is she safe? What if she's still at home doing whatever she does and she's completely oblivious to the fact that her boyfriend may not make it to their date later tonight?

The moment we reached the hospital, Thalia dragged us to one of the rooms where hundreds of nurses were crowding to help just one man. Thalia explained that he was just sleeping but there was a possibility that when he wakes up that his memory would be affected. Percy had the decency to dial Piper's number and tell her to come, explaining his situation as of the moment.

I have never seen someone in a worse state than Jason is right now. Even through the stitches you can see the many wounds that were on his face. At least it wasn't as bad as the rest of his body and I refused to look at it, knowing well that I would just feel so much grief and guilt and everything because I always liked blaming myself even for the things that I didn't do. But I know that there was just something, even just something small, that I did to contribute to this.

But the worst thing I had to see that day was Piper McLean's face the moment she stepped foot in the room.

She never left his side. Even when her sister begged for her to come home even for a while and just go back later, she refuses. He stirs every once in a while but he never woke up. Thalia was busy pacing and I was surprised that she hasn't made a ditch there yet from the many times she walked around. Percy and I were just watching them, him telling me that it was going to be alright and that Jason was just as strong as he is so he would live through this.

It was the next morning that he gave signs that he was about to wake. At first, there was nothing but when he started groaning, his eyes tightly shut as he twisted and turned in the small hospital bed, I knew that he was ten seconds away from screaming like the ones in horror movies that involved a very bad nightmare.

"Jason?" Piper whispered smoothly, her tone peaceful even though you could see that she still has tear stains on her cheeks.

I was thankful when he finally opened his eyes. "Ugh, where am I?" he sat up and felt his head, noticing the many needles in his arms.

"Hey, bro" my boyfriend said in practically the same tone, heading over to where he was. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell" he replied, stretching his muscles. "What happened anyways?"

This time, Thalia smiled and sat beside him. "Don't worry about that now. You need your rest. Sally and Poseidon will be here in a few minutes. Their just talking to the doctor about your x-rays"

He nodded in understanding before turning to the girl beside him, "You've been crying?" it came out more of a question than a statement but Pipes let out a shaky laugh, wiping away the leftover tears.

"I'm fine" he looked worried about her and that made me smile because it was supposed to be the other way around, since he was the one in the hospital bed in the first place. "But you're not. Thalia's right, Jase, you should rest"

Jason tried to argue but the lack of strength in his body won't let him so he plopped back down on the pillows, muttering curse words under his breath. "Anything serious?" he asked his sister.

Thalia shook her head, leaning on the chair. "None so far. They're not yet done in the first place but I think you just broke your arm and dislocated your shoulder. And I think your skull's cracked but not enough for it someone to do something about it. They were all actually really surprised because the impact was very strong, according to one of the bystanders"

"I do remember flying through the air and landing at least five feet away from where I was"

"Don't worry about it, man. The doctor said you're going to be fine. You should trust them"

"That's the first time I have ever heard you say that" he chuckled lightly and moved so he was facing me. "Annabeth" he mused "Could you call Poseidon please."

I had this weird feeling that he said that because he wanted to talk to Percy, Thalia, and Piper alone. There was something about my relationship with Jason that told me that he didn't trust me enough for something as serious as this. Or maybe because I don't have enough knowledge on the subject that I would annoy him to death with all of my questions. "Mr. Jackson?" I called, heading to where he is.

When I finally saw him, I really wished that I didn't. He and his wife was in a full on make-out session, much more complicated than Percy and mine will ever be. And that's saying a lot because if our kisses would grow deeper, he would be literally swallowing me. "Um…" I cleared my throat but I don't think that was enough for them to even hear me. "Poseidon?" I squeaked, bouncing on my heels.

"Yes, Annabeth?" he asked, finally acknowledging my presence.

"Jason wants to talk to you" I muttered, embarrassed. I could have been blushing right now.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sally straightening her shirt and fixing her hair, smiling at me with her bruised lips. I was having this mental argument with myself if I would tell Percy this or not but there was this sense of urgency that he should know because he might as well be expecting a younger sibling by the end of next month. Not that I'm against that since his family is more than capable of providing for them but I think that it must be already a handful with Thalia, Jason, and I living with them.

The moment I returned, I was deafened by loud laughter. Since I came at least five minutes after Mr. Jackson did because I had a very deep conversation with my future mother-in-law, I didn't know why they were doing so. It got me curious but made me feel awkward at the exact same time. Thankfully, Percy saw me and he smiled playfully, wrapping an arm around me. "Why are you laughing?" I asked, looking desperately at him. I hated not knowing something, hated the exact idea of it.

"It was just a joke Jason made. Don't worry about it, Wise Girl." He mumbled, placing me on his lap as he sat down.

There was this side of me who wanted to say something in return but I opted not to, remaining silent as he traced patterns on my arms. "They're planning to release him by tomorrow so he can go home." He told me, beaming.

"That's good." I replied, placing my head on his shoulder. "So his condition isn't that bad?"

"It was a miracle actually. The doctors said that he was very lucky that he wasn't that affected and not any major part of his body was injured."

I nodded in understanding, smiling inwardly to myself at a thought that I refused to share with you. Something about this position made me so comfortable, with his steady heartbeat on my back, his breath on my ear, and his arms around me. It would kill me if we have to move from our spot. "Do you remember the dance they're proposing that we have in a few weeks?"

Percy seemed a little too nervous for my liking. I didn't mind though, knowing well that this was his first dance and he never had to ask another girl before this. "Remember, Seaweed Brain, I'm part of the committee." he looked as if he was about to face palm but our position prevented him not to.

"Oh yeah" he mumbled, blushing. "But you see, um, I was planning to ask you"

"You know you don't have to" I turned to him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "I think I'm smart enough to figure out that we're going together"

He sighed in relief and pressed his lips to mine. "Thanks" he mused, "For saying yes"

"I didn't technically say that but I did technically agree to it." I replied in a very official tone. "But you're welcome"

Mr. Gristle was voting to cancel the dance because there was no venue but we decided that we could rent a hotel with the help of some sponsors. Rachel's dad was enthusiastically volunteering his company and our dearest principal was taking it to consideration but I couldn't organize a prom wherein everything was coming from her dad! That is against every rule I have made for myself and some others I haven't even published yet. "Look, Annabeth, we don't have much of a choice. You wanted sponsors and Mr. Dare gave you one of the largest sponsorships this school has ever seen."

I groaned in frustration, crashing on the sofa. "As much as possible, please don't let Rachel ruin the prom for everyone" was the last thing I said before hanging up, massaging the bridge of my nose.

"What's wrong?" Travis asked. Is he that stupid not to realize what my main problem is? At least my boyfriend had the decency to keep his mouth shut when everything was clearly laid out in front of him. He was blind enough not to see that coming.

My glare immediately shut him up. "Let me see, what's wrong? Firstly, the dance is in a week and we barely even know the venue, much less decorate. Second, I don't even have a dress yet. Third, Rachel Dare's dad is sponsoring the entire thing so I have absolutely no control on what will happen."

"Well, I could always ask my dad to help out" Percy suggested easily, placing a hand on my lap. "He could give a much bigger amount to Mr. Gristle so he would overlook Mr. Dare's company and focus mainly on ours. And since you're my girlfriend, they would definitely make you in charge of everything"

By the end of the sentence, my jaw was to the floor. "Perseus Jackson! That is probably the best idea you have ever had in your entire life!" I squealed in delight, kissing him full on the lips.

The Jacksons were very cooperative. They gave a fifteen thousand dollar check to the school, much bigger than the amount the other company gave, and so they were eternally grateful. Also, Percy agreed to give all the credit to me because if it wasn't for me, and I quote, "…this dance wouldn't even exist."

He asked me out to dinner the very same day. It was just for us to give time for ourselves, give time to breathe after everything that just happens. Silena, well, she was panicking over what I'm going to wear maybe because this was technically our first date. I don't want to admit it but ever since Percy and I started going out, we didn't do much but make-out. If not, we would be at least cuddling.

"Come on, Annabeth" she whined, "Do it for Percy"

I hate it when she says that, when she would force me to do something and use my boyfriend against me. Right now, I'm wearing a bathrobe and was practically forced to sit on my chair. She was forcefully doing my hair, making sure that my grip on the arm rests become tighter and tighter than it should be. "God, Silena, this is torture!" I screamed out.

"Well it shouldn't be when you brush your hair daily"

"I do. I just don't do it like this" I gritted my teeth.

Percy Jackson will forever be my hero. Apparently, he heard me screaming from his room and he wanted to see if I was alright. And when he saw what Silena Beauregard was doing to me, I guess he just had enough. "What's going on here?" he asked, his arms crossed as he leaned on the doorframe, a small smile plastered on his face.

"Well, your girlfriend won't cooperate" she said smugly, taking another painful brush stroke.

He shook his head, moving towards me. "You do know you brought this to yourself, right?" he whispered to my ear, playfully taking a small peck.

"What? You're not gonna help me?"

"Nah" he mused, sitting on my bed. "I think you deserve it"

I growled deeply at him. "I hate you" I said, my nails clawing at the hard wood.

At this, he laughed and placed a hand on Silena's shoulder, motioning for her to stop. She was rather hesitant at first but noticed that look on his face and nodded, placing the brush on the table. Thankfully, she left the room with a smirk, closing the door behind her. "Did you enjoy watching my torture?" I asked bitterly, rubbing my scalp.

"Not really" he muttered with his lips on my neck, mouthing the words. Honestly, even though I was mad at him, I couldn't help but mumble some sweet words I never thought I would ever say in my entire life. He smiled and encircled his arms on my waist, pulling me up so that I was facing him.

Percy started running his hands through my hair, untangling it in the gentlest way. Drowning in pleasure, I placed my head on his chest, allowing him to continue what he was doing. "I love you" he told me

"I love you, too" I breathed in the scent of him and smiled. "I'm sorry I got mad at you"

"I'm sorry that I didn't stop Silena the moment I got here" I was a little amused by his apology but otherwise accepted it. "Plus, it's not like you need to get ready. You're already so beautiful to look at." The comment was a little too much for me to absorb but when I thought I did, I blushed.

"Thanks, Seaweed Brain" I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him softly with him placing me gently on the ground.

I finally decided that I would go simple. Since Silena would probably grow overboard again, I didn't ask her for help. Don't get me wrong, she gives great fashion tips but I always thought that I wouldn't need it. Anyways, I dug around in my closet until I found what I think is the perfect outfit for tonight. Sadly, after five minutes of nothing but going from one rack to another, I couldn't.

"Hey, Wise Girl" Percy called from outside.

"Yeah?" I replied in the same volume.

"I'll be in the living room when you're done. Just go down"

The moment I yelled back my reply, I noticed something that was hiding behind the many piles of clothing on the floor. I wasn't the kind of person that keeps an entire department store in their closet but maybe this was an exception. Silena might as well have been shopping for these clothes just for me before I moved in here.

I picked the dress up and my eyes widened in shock. How didn't I see this before? It was perfect! The black fabric was soft to the touch, the length decent enough to wear for the evening, and the silver highlights would match my eyes and the purse that I was planning to use. I disregarded the many other articles of clothing and wore that specific dress, moving in front of the mirror.

It was unlike me to wear something so beautiful. Although I would never admit it to myself, all of my boyfriend's compliments about how I look were true. The dress was tight so it showed all my curves in all the right places, my hair cascading down my shoulder in perfect curls. And trust me, that wasn't because of Silena's constant abuse on it. My face was flawless, my lips wine red, my eyes shining in the moonlight. Something told me that this wasn't who I was, someone who would never leave the mirror, someone who would praise herself daily, someone who was vain and selfish. I wasn't that and I promise myself that I will never be like that.

I stepped out of the wardrobe and closed the double doors behind me, eventually walking towards the front of the mirror and taking the make-up kit Silena left behind maybe intentionally. Before I could do anything, I stared at myself and looked for features that need a little work on. I decided that I should at least put color to my lips. Other than that, there was nothing else. Plus, I don't think Percy would mind if I don't wear _that _much make-up.

Maybe it was because of the dress or because it was my lucky day but I couldn't stop staring at myself. My eyes were full of obvious wonder as it saw the beautiful woman in the mirror, following my every move. "God, that's me" I gasped. She followed me as I walked away, heading towards the door.

"Oh, you done?" he hasn't dare taken one look at me yet, busy answering a text from Nico.

"Yeah" I said, my voice unusually smooth. This caught his attention, taking one glance at me.

If it was a normal day, I would have laughed at his reaction. His phone dropped to the pale carpet, his jaw fell to the ground, and his beautiful sea green eyes were staring at me as if I wasn't real. "Annabeth?" It was a question.

"Percy?" I mimicked, smirking as I sat on his lap.

"You look stunning" he praised, moving those talented fingers to my cheeks. "Absolutely beautiful"

Somehow, I kept my modesty. It would be impossible for a girl, specifically someone who was dating Percy Jackson, to keep her dignity when it comes to his wonderful comments. Maybe it was because I had training for that specific situation or maybe it was because I knew the truth about myself and this one night is the only exception to it.

"We're going to miss our reservation if we're going to stay here any longer"

He snapped out of his trance and nodded, heading towards the car with me at his tail. I just can't stop smiling whenever he would steal glances at me, shaking his head and muttering words under his breath. "Can't keep your eyes off me, now can you?" I teased as I entered the car, with him sliding over the hood just so that we could leave faster.

"You could say that" he gave me a smile that made my heart and the rest of my well being melt at the warmth of it.

It took at least ten minutes for us to reach the fanciest and most well known restaurant in New York. "I could've brought you to France but mom said that I could do that some other day" he sighed, disappointed.

"Don't worry about it, Seaweed Brain." I laced my fingers with his, tugging his hand to the direction of our table. "Now, why don't we just enjoy tonight and maybe you can make up for it when we get home?"

We talked and he would bring up how I looked every two minutes. Then he would tell me about the dance and how everything was pointing towards that night, where we would dance until the end of time with his handsome face as the last thing I would see. It would probably be the most amazing thing, the most perfect thing if that would ever happen.

Right after dinner, we walked around Central Park, holding hands and enjoying the silence. The moon was full, shining almost as bright as the morning sun. The eventual sound of crickets chirping or owls hooting would usually catch my attention but he would take it back again.

Once, I made the mistake of taking a look at him and found myself transfixed by his beauty. Thankfully, he wasn't looking at me but at the night sky, counting the few stars that were present. His eyes were bright, smiling as his grip on me tightened. Since the start of our date, I never once looked at what he was wearing, putting all my attention on his face. Now that I see it for the first time, I realized how wrong I was not to do so.

It was a simple white button-down shirt, tight around his torso just to state how muscled it is. The suit jacket he was wearing was now around my shoulders because I was stupid enough not to bring my own. Even though it was simple, it suited his persona perfectly, as if made for him and not just bought for the sake of buying. "Annabeth?" he asked, studying my face curiously. "Are you drooling?"

I immediately felt self conscious as I felt my bottom lip, finding what he said true. A blush crept up to my cheeks as I turned away from him, crossing my arms just to feign annoyance. "Definitely not!" I snorted and started walking away in a pace that is not very comfortable.

"Admit it" he mocked, using his strength to turn me around against my will. "You were drooling!" He looked very triumphant on his discovery and I have to say that he was very right.

But I wasn't going to give him that today. The last time that happened was on his birthday and it's only that time of year which I make as an exception. So on the way back to his car, I completely ignored all his desperate attempts. This got him very frustrated with me so it was probably one of the very few silent trips back home.

It was my mistake, I admit that. He was just teasing but I took it more seriously than I should have. It was my mistake to just start ignoring him because I knew that I offended him in a way that I once found invisible. I was stupid and reckless and I ruined one of the best nights of my life just after it started. In my room, we argued, screamed at each other like we did before. And my heart was set on apologizing to him before it even happened. I guess I just forgot the moment he stepped foot on my bedroom floor with that very intimidated look on his face.

"Why can't you just accept the fact that I can be right?" His eyes flashed dangerously and my heart froze when I realized that he was giving that look to me. Not my mom or Thalia or Jason or Nico or anyone else. It was me.

"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" I shot back at him, feeling that I was in the verge of tears. I hated it when we fight; having to hear the pain and anger that was in his voice. Because I knew that he hated it too. And I brought this up to myself.

He groaned in frustration, his fingers digging to his scalp. "Because you never give me the chance to be right for once!"

That hit me hard. It wasn't only true. It became a hobby for me, something that I do for a living that when I don't, I would never feel complete. I was selfish, blinded from how he felt by my fooling around. I thought that it was only teasing, watching him laugh at me either heartily or mockingly but I didn't know that some part of him stung so bad because he thought it was true.

"Look, Annabeth, you may be smarter than me but that doesn't mean you have to rub it in my face. I'm not a rocket scientist to figure out when you're just showing off. I thought I knew you ever since we were kids and I've been living with your constant teasing that I will never be smart enough to graduate college. I know that's true." He paused, looking at me straight in the eye. "But you don't have to pretend that what I can clearly see isn't true. I'm not that stupid."

Before he could leave, I grabbed his wrist. "Do you think I would ever do that to you? I do that because I want to make you better than you already are." I told him

"Don't even try to tell me that. You think that I'm not good enough for you." He took a deep breath. "Look, Annabeth. I love you so much but if you're just going to keep acting like that, I don't think we're supposed to be together."

I might not have been crying before but the moment he finished that statement, tears were streaming down my eyes with me unable to control the constant flow. "What are you trying to say?" I moaned, pushing myself very far away from him. "Are you breaking up with me?"

His eyes widened in shock. "No!" he said, taking one step closer to me. "Of course not!" Then he was kissing me, his lips moving with mine in perfect harmony. Probably from the many months of experience, I learned to stop trying to stop him because I knew that for such a long time, I've been dreaming about his kisses, wanting him to do that to me ever since. "I will never break-up with you" he said, pressing his forehead to mine. "I will never leave your side until you want me to"

I nodded, pulling him close to me as I sobbed on his shoulder. "Never think that I'm smarter than you are. You may think of yourself less than you should but you're perfect, Seaweed Brain. You're smart and handsome and nice and brave and loyal and… and…" But he placed a finger on my lips, kissing the top of my head lightly.

"I love you," he whispered, "And I will make this relationship last forever."

"I love you, too" was my only reply.

We slept peacefully that night, forgetting about why we fought and what brought us into that conversation in the first place. When I woke up by 1:00 am, I just watched his face for me to drift off again. His arms around me were tight, to state that he will always keep his promise of never letting me go. Whatever happens, we will go through it together. "I'm sorry, Seaweed Brain."

"You don't have to be" I heard him say. Huh, he wasn't asleep in the first place. "It was my fault for overreacting"

"I'm just glad that it's all over" It came out as a whisper and I smiled when I realized that his response was no more than a hum, closing his eyes once again.

Soon enough, I followed his lead.


	20. Chapter 20

There was something about asking Silena for help with hair and make-up that made me sick. I knew that I was just bringing myself to much more pain than I could handle. But ever since that argument, I learned not to even question someone's abilities, especially if that someone is a person very close to me.

"Hi, Silena?" I mused smoothly over the phone, unconsciously twirling a strand of my hair.

She replied in her velvety voice, "What is it, Anna?"

Somehow, I could feel a very big lump on my throat that got it really hard to swallow. "Um, can you do me a favor?" I asked, my voice feeling rougher than it once was. How hard is it for a person to ask another person for a make-over?

"Sure!" she exclaimed happily.

"Well, the dance is in five hours and I'm kinda hoping if you help me get ready" It came out more of a demand than a request. But she didn't sound like she minded. How I knew that, well, it's pretty easy to tell since she couldn't stop squealing in delight or excitement, I don't want to know.

She gave one last shriek that was probably the loudest before giving her reply. "I thought you would never ask. I'll be there in five minutes." And with that, she hung up, not wasting a second longer.

When she said that she was going to be here in five minutes, she was really serious. Silena wasn't a second late, not even a millisecond. The moment the expected time passed, she was here and already repeated what she did on my date with Percy. "Okay, so we only have exactly four hours, fifty three minutes, and thirty nine seconds for you to look more beautiful than you already are and I prefer it when you don't ask any questions." She told me, grabbing the brush.

Since I just came out of the bath before I even considered calling her, she has that only problem of untangling my hair once again. But unlike before, she was rather careful and I was glad that she doesn't want me to go see my boyfriend rubbing my head because the pain was bothering me. "He told me about your date and how pretty you looked."

"Yeah?"

"He even showed me a photo"

"When did he take a picture of me?"

Silena giggled, placing the brush back down on the table and grabbed the bigger make-up kit she brought. When she opened it, I started wondering why a girl would need so many cosmetics. First, she pulled out the eye shadow, tapping her finger to her chin as if to think before settling with the green that is closest to the dress that I was going to wear (which is basically the color of Seaweed Brain's eyes). Then, she delicately applied the eye liner and mascara for me not to get irritated. "You don't need much work, honey" she cooed, making sure that my cheeks were pinker than they already were. I was actually praying that she would stop there but she didn't seem to forget about the lipstick. Thankfully, or maybe not, she used the same color as the one I used for the date. I don't know if I should be thankful or pissed at her for making me different but she sure as hell made me beautiful.

"What do you think?" she asked, smiling.

I laughed and examined my face. "I never doubted you once, Silena."

Once I checked the clock, I realized that she took at least one hour just to handle my hair and make-up but I think that's what I really need. She handed me my dress and I got that from her, thanking her with my eyes as I headed straight to my closet just to get dressed.

Do you remember the dress that the girls and I bought when we went shopping before? The one with the deep v-neck? I promised Silena that I would wear that on my birthday but I got a little too excited and decided to just break that and use it today. Although I should have told her this in the first place (I think she already knew), she didn't seem to look mad at all. Her compliments were sincere and I was glad that I have a friend like her to keep me company. "Thanks" I voiced, hugging her tightly.

"It was my pleasure. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get ready too." I couldn't help but give her one last embrace before letting her out of my door.

What do I do now? I can't just go out of this room already ready for the dance that starts in two hours. Then again, being in the committee means you have to be there at least an hour earlier just to see if everything's alright. I don't think Percy would mind that. Till then, what am I going to do?

I sighed and dug through my book shelf, searching for something to read. It was all so interesting but I have read every single novel here at least four times so that was useless as of the moment. Maybe he won't mind if I would stay at his room but I don't want to ruin my make-up, especially when I know perfectly well what we're going to do. Frustrated, I sat down on the sofa and grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, switching through channels just because I can.

When that didn't work out for me, I headed straight to the closet and stared at myself in the mirror. It wasn't like me to be self conscious but ever since Percy and I got together, I always felt as if there was something wrong with how I looked when I'm beside someone as perfect as him. Though he would constantly remind me that there was none, I could still feel that maybe, just maybe, he deserves someone better. "What does he see in me?" I asked myself, unable to stop the question.

It bothered me, that question. I'm not beautiful so that wasn't it. I can be annoying and my pride always gets the best of me. I get mad so easily you would ask when I wasn't. I'm always so serious, not being able to take a joke. I'm so blind when it comes to a person's feelings because when I'm happy, I don't care if the other is.

"Don't you think you've been asking that question more times than you want, Wise Girl?" a voice behind me asked.

I shifted and saw him in the very same position, leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed. "You do know you're not supposed to be in here. You should've knocked."

"Oh please. We're not hiding anything from each other. I've seen you naked before."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck, placing my head on his shoulder. "I don't care." I muttered.

"And to answer your question, I don't think I could list down all of the things that I like about you without having to die of old age first."

Maybe it was a little too cheesy but I couldn't help but love him even more than I do now. "I'm not beautiful" was the only thing I said.

"The hell you are and don't you ever doubt that." He told me, almost forcefully. "You're beautiful and smart and kind and brave and loyal and sweet and everything I want in a girl. Heck, you're perfect Annabeth. You might not think so but I do and I think you learned not to question my wisdom." I laughed at this, letting all those insecurities go and trust him on what he says.

Time flies by so quickly. I didn't know that one hour already passed until it did. By 6:30, we were already in the large warehouse where all those people spent their time and effort into making it look nice. And I've got to say, it looked pretty good. I don't want to go to the details because it did look like a typical high school dance, where the early birds were already in the middle of the dance floor, dancing the night away before it even started.

Percy and I decided that we should just sit first and wait for the rest of our friends. Honestly, we had to force Jason and Nico to join us since they're not the party kind of people. And when we did, they didn't seem too happy about it. But I think they would have a really good time tonight, whether they like it or not. "I still can't believe it's been three weeks ever since the school burned down."

"I still can't believe it's been exactly four months ever since we started dating."

"Before we know it, we would be graduating high school and then college and then we'll get married and have kids."

I sighed happily at the idea, looking at him. "You really have been thinking about this" I teased lightly, placing my head on his shoulder.

"Well, I at least have to try to think about our future. But let's just pray that everything I want to happen to us does." I don't know why I found this funny but I did, chuckling as the soft tune of Coldplay started playing.

Every five minutes, high schoolers would enter, their faces filled with awe as they looked at the venue. Most were already crowding the buffet table, serving themselves and their dates from the punchbowl. I was pretty glad that our supervisor/English teacher, Mr. Blofis, made sure that no one gets to put anything on the said drink because the last time that happened wasn't so pretty.

"Who owns this place?" Nico asked as he and Thalia, together with Jason and Piper, neared us.

Percy managed a smile. "My dad had to pull some strings but this is the best place to hold a high school dance. It's actually Uncle Vito's."

"Who's Uncle Vito?" his cousin looked a little more curious than she should be.

"He's my godfather. He said that he liked being called uncle instead because he didn't have any nieces or nephews."

"But still, how come I never met him before?"

My boyfriend laughed lightly, as if amused with the entire idea. I've always loved his laugh, loved the sound of it and how it always made him look like the twelve year old boy that I once had a crush on. "Dunno with you but I've known him since I was a baby."

"Hey guys!" someone interrupted their impending argument and I never thought I would ever be so utterly grateful for the stranger. I don't want my best friends fighting over something as stupid as Percy's incredibly rich godfather and how Thalia has never seen him before.

Thankfully, it was none of Percy's fan girls but a really good friend of ours, Lee Fletcher. His half brothers, Will Solace and Michael Yew (and yes, they were both of different moms), were already flirting with the girls sitting on the tables but Lee had the decency to talk to us, maybe about something important. "Hey, man, what's up?" He couldn't really move much since I was on his lap but he did flash a handsome grin to the boy.

"You would never guess what happened to Rachel Dare!" he smiled triumphantly as he examined the looks on our faces.

"What happened?" I asked, turning to face him.

He cleared his throat and his expression told me that he was just trying to hold her laughter. "Okay, so you know Rachel's best friend right, Jaime?" I nodded, gesturing for her to continue, "Well, when she and her date, Ethan, came to RED's house, she was wearing a half burned dress and her make-up was smudged. And then, while she was walking to the limo, she slipped and fell face first to the mud!" We all burst out in laughter, happy that Rachel Dare finally got what she deserved.

"Where is she now?"

"At home most probably, getting ready" he sighed in disappointment, wiping the tear stains from his eyes. "She's not going to miss this dance for the world!"

We all nodded sadly. As much as I hate to admit it, Rachel was stubborn that way. If she wanted something, she would make sure that she gets it even if it's the last thing she does.

Much to my dismay, whatever Lee said was true. Standing near the entrance was the girl I hate the most, in the sultriest attire I have seen yet. Her dress looked more of a nightgown and I doubt she's wearing a bra under there. Then again, when did she ever? The length was probably mid-thigh, if not a little shorter. No sleeves. Low v-neck. Fierce red color. Hair in curls. Heavy make-up. She looked like a stripper on her way to the strip club.

"We should really decide on a dress code next time." Thalia said with a sigh, shaking her head at the outfit.

On the other hand, most of the other guys were drooling over it. Thankfully, none of those guys was my boyfriend. He was still holding me, nosing my cheek like a puppy. "Should we tell her off?" he asked.

"Nah, let her find out the many disadvantages of what she's wearing." I muttered, not really paying attention.

It would have been peaceful but the certain red headed girl strode towards us, her hips swaying in the dirtiest way as half of the guys in the dance followed her. And she seemed rather pleased about it. "Well, well, well" she mused, smirking. "Annabeth Chase, I thought you couldn't make it." I gave her a fake smile just to hide the fire in my eyes.

"I might say the same thing about you" I growled through my gritted teeth. I swear, if it wasn't for my boyfriend's tight grip on me, I would have lunged with my fingernails clawing at her not so perfect face.

"Annabeth, it's not worth it" he whispered soothingly to my ear, hoping that it would go past the ringing in my ears. "Don't stoop to her level."

He was glad when I nodded as I buried my face on his neck with him tracing patterns on my back. "Nice outfit" I nodded towards what she wore and Rachel smiled suggestively lifting it up a little just so that the guys behind her saw that she wasn't wearing any underwear. I glanced at Percy just to see if he was looking but he was too busy staring at my cleavage. On any other day, I would have made a teasing comment but as of now, I was rather thankful that he would be looking at my breasts than Rachel's… well, you get the point.

"So, slut, aren't you supposed to be screwing another guy by now?" I suggested with a raised eyebrow.

She looked at me and nodded, "Well, I should be off but I think you're sitting on the guy I'm supposed to be screwing."

At this note, my boyfriend froze. His eyes were locked on Rachel Dare's face as if he found the entire idea disgusting. "Then again," she continued, "you may not know much about it. You are a virgin, after all."

This time, I was holding him off, trying hard not to let him punch her in the face because I know that it was against every code of law he has ever established on himself. And second, I don't want his knuckles to be bruised because he hit Rachel's face so hard. "Don't worry about it, Seaweed Brain. She's just too shallow to think that I'm actually not." I kissed the corner of his mouth just as an attempt for him to calm down even faster and it actually did work.

"Actually, bitch, I'm not" I pulled Percy to his feet as we walked to a Rachel free environment, a good distance away from the buffet table and the dance floor.

"She's not wearing anything under that dress." I seethed, wishing I could throw something at her. "You didn't even look at her. Why?"

He smiled. "I had a much better view than her bare ass." Percy kissed me softly before he stood, walking casually to the punch bowl where he started a conversation with Mr. Blofis. The teacher nodded once in a while, looking at the spot where she is now.

"Don't worry about it, Percy. I'm going to call Mr. Dare and have him bring her home." My boyfriend thanked Paul endlessly before he made his way back to me, handing a cup similar to his.

Soon afterwards, Rachel's dad came to the warehouse and dragged his daughter out with Rachel bringing a very clueless Michael Westby with her. After that, I softened. This, this was a dance. I should be enjoying it with my boyfriend and my closest friends. I prepared so long just for this and I'm not going to let the memory of Rachel Dare bring me down. This may be one of those nights where my heart would be set on finding the solution to the problem that is _her_. But I figured that maybe there was no solution, no cure, for her. I don't know why but it made me feel a whole lot better, having known that RED was too sick to be cured and that she never deserved to be cured in the first place.

And honestly, it was the best night of my life.


	21. Chapter 21

The school was rebuilt a month later and the teachers planned that it would be best for all of us that they would just make all the students who are willing to stay overnight do so to finish all their projects and for them to catch up on the lessons. Though many groaned at the idea, they eventually found an upside to it when they found out that we would choose who we're going to sleep with. But, Mr. Gristle strictly stated that they should be at least ten in each room and that everyone was being monitored very closely.

It was actually really easy to gather up the group. Since we were all inseparable, there were no arguments, no violent reactions, not even a single comment. Though I was pretty worried because we are with the Stoll twins and we never dared stay in the same room as them because, 1. When you wake up the next morning you would either have a fake beard super glued to your face or all of your hair shaven off, and 2. The guys would be complete and the guys complete would lead to utter chaos and destruction. But they promised to behave.

Percy and I were already heading to school with backpacks slung over our shoulders when we bumped into Rachel. I honestly was in no mood to fight anyone, and seeing that she was fueled with every single kind of words that you never thought a person would ever say to you, I decided to walk away with my boyfriend at my tail.

We immediately headed to the fifth grade math room where we would be staying when we're not doing anything. I was actually kinda grateful for just being alone with him, teasing and joking and talking and kissing. And I would stare at those beautiful green eyes and wonder why in the world he is right beside me.

The moment Travis and Connor walked through that door, they already have those looks on their faces that immediately stated that something bad is going to happen and we can't do anything about it. "So, what are you planning to do now?" I sighed, sitting on one of the desks.

"I thought you might like this one, dear Annie." Travis said with his signature lopsided grin.

His twin copied the same smile. "We're going to do something that would get Rachel Dare off your back for all eternity."

"Or until the effects wear off."

They told me one of the most ingenious plans yet. I would even have taken credit for it on how foolproof it is! It was as if they've been planning it for such a long time (and I really think they did). "I know that look, Wise Girl" Percy mused from beside me, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Then you know me all too well, Seaweed Brain" I replied. And with that, we headed out.

It was simple. Percy and I distract Rachel and her cronies by heading to the pool, where my boyfriend will start swimming. And you know how he catches everybody's eyes when he's swimming. And after that, while they're drooling over his abs, I'd act jealous and get mad at him for absolutely no reason. And then we're going to fake a breakup. Meanwhile, Travis and Connor will sneak in their room and redecorate it with gothic materials that they somehow possessed. And in the end, while they're sleeping, the twins would also change all the clothes they packed with black, black, and black, and make sure that they're going to wear it.

Well, maybe it wasn't _that _simple.

The plan took action. My boyfriend was wearing a t-shirt and his swimming trunks and, hand in hand, we walked towards the gym where the pool was located in the basement. Everything went according to how we planned it. Rachel Dare and all of her friends were giggling as they followed us, underestimating my senses for I haven't looked once behind me. But I knew they were there and they were complete.

We made the argument as meaningless as possible. We started fighting about a college scholarship that he was too early to receive or about how he noticed me and this guy we made up hanging out way too much. This caught her attention and a smile formed on her lips. I took a deep breath, wiping the fake tears in my eyes as I delivered the blow.

"Percy, if you're not comfortable with this relationship, then I think it would be best if we break-up!"

He glared at me. "Maybe your right" he hissed but his eyes flashed with pain as if acting this out hurts him just as much as it will if the real thing comes. I'm just praying that the real thing won't come.

Behind me, I heard squeals and absolute glee filled sounds. I knew this was Rachel but I refused for her to touch him since we're still very much together. Percy hauled himself out of the pool and followed me to our room with the slut probably thinking that he's going to pack his things and move to another one. But once we're out of earshot, my boyfriend pulled me to his arms and kissed me full on the lips. "That was a little too convincing" he muttered. "I don't want anything like that to happen again. Promise me that we're not going to break-up." I managed a smile and nodded, burying my face on his wet but drying chest.

"What happened?" Chris Rodriguez asked worriedly, seeing that my eyes were still a bit tinted red from my entire crying scene moments ago.

I told them everything that happened, stressing on the important bits and not all those kissing scenes that I enjoy way too much. Travis and Connor took that opportunity to barge in the room, breathing hard and carrying an empty black duffel bag. "You're really taking revenge on Rachel seriously" Nico commented as we sat in a circle.

"Well, I think she deserves it."

By five, we all followed our specific schedules, like a regular school day. Thankfully, since Mr. Gristle gave each of us new ones, Percy and I have all our classes together. It was either coincidentally or our dearest principal realized that Seaweed Brain studies better with me.

We were doing our Biology homework, to make a perfect representation of the entire process of photosynthesis when we heard the scream coming from the room down the hall. Travis and Connor high-fived and I hugged Percy tightly, laughing as Rachel and the rest of her friends ran, flailing their arms in the air. When our math teacher, Mrs. Dodds, asked them what was wrong, they all pointed to the place they were staying.

True enough, when we followed them, everything was black. Their sleeping bags were now pure black, all of their clothes were of the same color, and their make-up bags were long gone. I swear, Rachel was hyperventilating, breathing in the paper bag the teachers gave her. Out of the corner of my eye, the twins were snickering, glad that the entire thing went according to plan.

Suddenly the red head turned towards me, her green eyes wild with anger and humiliation. Before I could even blink, she lunged after me, pulling my hair as she screamed nonsense. All of the teachers were unsuccessfully trying to drag her back and Percy was pushing her away from me, holding me in his arms once he did. "You okay, Annabeth?" he asked, examining my face and neck.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I panted

"What the hell, Rachel!" Percy screamed at the girl. "Why'd you do that?"

Her face turned as red as her hair, either with fury or embarrassment. Everything seemed to be pointing towards her hatred of me and I bit my bottom lip, knowing well that this might lead to much more serious circumstances. "She did this to me!" she said.

"How could she ever do that to you when you saw us in the pool?" my boyfriend's eyes flashed dangerously and those who knew him took at least three steps backward. Me, on the other hand, moved even closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

But he didn't move.

He pushed Rachel against the locker, his forearm against her neck hard enough to suffocate her. While the teachers were trying to stop the fighting, they still couldn't. They knew that once Percy Jackson was mad, no one can stop him from being that way except for me. And even I was having a very distinct argument with myself whether or not I should stop this. Sadly, my conscience took over and moved towards him.

As I hugged him from behind, my head placed lightly on his shoulder blade, I soothed him until he let her crumple to the ground choking. "You don't touch her." It was strangled. "You don't touch her, ever. I don't care if you're a girl, Rachel. If you ever do that again, you will pay for it." And with that, he stalked away with his hands in fists.

We were still in eyeshot when I pulled him to a searing kiss, making sure that Dare sees that we were still very much together. My dear math teacher was three seconds away from pulling us apart when Paul stopped her, letting us act out what is needed to be said, with tears in my eyes. "I love you" I breathed as I placed my head on his chest.

"Love you, too"

I took one step forward and I immediately fell to the ground. Apparently, my legs have given up on me from the stress I was experiencing. And the bad thing was that everyone was staring at me and how I was acting. Percy, seeing my situation, carried me bridal style back to our room, ignoring the many whispering that was heard from behind us.

For the first time in years, I felt helpless, weak, as if my world was falling around me. I was taught that revenge was never the answer to anything. And now, I was so blinded by hurt and hate that I forgot it. I hated myself for it, hated how it has tempted me to do things that I never liked doing before. And my heart ached at how the rest of my body did, sobbing silently as Percy placed a blanket over my body. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked with a sigh, sitting across from me as he added the final touches to our project.

You see, ever since I found out that Percy can draw, I was taking advantage of that. He made every single drawing that was needed in full detail and I wrote what was needed. You see, my school doesn't really depend that much on technology for us to learn. Well yeah, we use the TV in our room but that was only every once in a while. Our projects were rather simple compared to the others but we have to make it very elaborate.

"Look, I think you need to rest. I'll just ask Will to do something about that bruise." I have a bruise? He gestured to my left cheekbone, the exact same place where she slapped me so many months before, and caressed it softly. "I'll finish this up and try to get the other one done too."

"No, I have to help." I sat up and grabbed my pen from my bag, my hands shaking.

"You don't. You've done enough." He placed his fingers on mine and placed me gently on the sleeping bag, kissing my forehead softly. "Just rest, for me."

I didn't sleep. Instead, I just let my entire body rest. I didn't know why it hurts so badly when Rachel just pushed me to the ground… God, that's why it hurts so much. The floor was cemented and the force was just too much for me to handle.

Will Solace treated on my bruise while Percy massaged my legs and my arms, making my tensed muscles relax with the slightest touch. He also gave me aspirin for my headache. The school nurse was out for the night because even though there are still students in school, she would be out by 4:30. It was really stupid for her actually to just leave when we needed her most and if we do call her, it would be too late. At least Will knows what to do since he's already a senior and he's planning to study medicine and his dad's a very well known doctor.

"She'll be fine in a few hours. I'll tell Paul about what happened to her but she'll be fine."

Percy nodded, "Thanks man" Will smiled and left the room.

By nine, I was forced to get up. Thankfully, whatever he said was true and I could already walk properly again. The only bad thing was that I bumped into Rachel on my way to the classroom. We didn't acknowledge each other but I was pretty glad that I don't have to hear that annoying voice of hers. "We have to go." Percy pulled my arm suggestively and I nodded, refusing to look her in the eye.

"You missed a lot of things while you're asleep, Annabeth." Violet muttered as she hugged me tightly.

That was when I noticed that she was holding hands with Michael Yew. "You're together now?" I asked, sitting down on the nearest chair.

They both shared looks and blushed wildly, retracting their hands and taking at least two steps away from each other. I shook my head, remembering when Percy and I used to be like that. Honestly, they were so cute together. "What made you think that?" Michael cleared his throat audibly.

Seaweed Brain chuckled. "Nothing" he mused carefully, taking a seat beside me. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"Ms. Umbrage is planning to lecture us on the Chinese civilizations when she said that it would be better if we make something that would best represent it." Malcolm, a friend of ours, said.

"Great, another project to pass tomorrow"

"Sorry, man"

But he just smiled. "It's not your fault"

Since it's by group, Percy and I paired with Jason and Piper (both of them being in my class). Even though they're a year younger than we are, they've proven themselves to be in the same year. Piper McLean is very smart. She's resourceful, clever. She honestly reminds me of myself. Jason, on the other hand, can be like my boyfriend. But he's not the kind who asks stupid questions. He's witty, very witty, even when he mostly relies on instinct. "So, what do you want it to be like?"

"We can make like a replica of the Great Wall, then write how Shih Huang Ti enslaved millions of people just to build it."

"Better yet, we can just add that"

On the desk were the only materials that we needed. Luckily, Percy just happened to bring a set of paints just in case something like this happen. Since many of our friends still don't know about his hidden talent, we decided to just tell them about it.

And let's just say they were pretty shocked.


	22. Chapter 22

It was an hour before midnight when we finished with it. And it was pretty much worth all the effort. The blending of the colors made the walls look a little older, more authentic. Jason and Piper were still working on the tiny slaves, Percy was painting the ground with different shades of green, and I was writing all that is needed to be written. Thalia and Nico came to visit and were pretty awestruck when they saw the work of art in front of them.

"Who painted?" the younger of the two asked, not at first noticing Seaweed Brain's paint stained fingers.

"We'll let you find out for yourselves." Jason smiled and gave placed the slave he was working on at the very top of the tower, to make it look like he was making the roof.

My best friend scanned the work area until her eyes landed on the fingers that picked up the discarded paintbrush, dipping it on the dark green paint, and with some water, brushed it against the cardboard floor. "Perseus Jackson, I didn't know you could paint!" she exclaimed.

"Well, it wasn't like you needed to know." He teased lightly, placing the tool on the jar before leaning on his arms.

Ms. Umbrage was actually pretty proud of us once she saw the work, cooing about the structure and the details and how it looked like the actual thing. And we didn't even have something to look at, not a copy, not even a clue at what we're doing. It was all on how Piper described it and how she remembered it to be when she was a child.

The entire thing earned us an A+. She was actually opting to grade us higher than that if it were possible but sadly, it wasn't so she just gave us the highest possible score.

When the four of us reached our room, we were rejoicing. Ms. Umbrage is even going to display it for the entire student body to see, a privilege for those who made it. It only happened to me once before and that was when I was in first grade. It was just a simple model house made out of Popsicle sticks but it was pretty much one of the greatest things my teacher then has ever seen. And that is one of the reasons why I wanted to be an architect.

By midnight, we were all given an hour to rest. I was glad that they did because we were all so tired from hours and hours of school work and project making and homework and everything. Even if what Will Solace said was true, there was still that lingering pain on my shoulders as I stretched. I swear, Rachel will pay for giving me body pain and I probably have bruised my spine.

Gladly, Percy saw my discomfort and ordered me to lie down. Seeing that I couldn't really argue, I followed, lying face down on my sleeping bag with him sitting lightly on my butt, putting all his weight on his knees. Before I could even ask what he was doing, he started kneading my back and I drooled with pleasure. "Better?" he asked, ignoring how the rest of the people in the room were looking at him.

I nodded, ordering him not to stop and my muscles became just as relaxed as they were before I even stepped foot on the school grounds. "Where'd you learn how to do this?" I moaned as he placed his magical fingers on my shoulders.

"It runs in the family" he answered, "My mom's side of the family."

"So good"

He laughed and moved to my side as I sat on his lap, letting him do whatever he wants with me. And as of now, he was kissing my neck, smiling at how Thalia was reacting to all of this. "If you're going to do what I think you're going to do, could you please just find another place?"

"Don't worry Thals, we won't. Not now, anyways" I blushed at the last statement but tried my best to hide my face on his chest.

If you're wondering who I'm with, then I'm not going to keep you guessing. It was rather obvious that Percy Jackson, Thalia Grace, Nico Di Angelo, Jason Grace, and Piper McLean were with me but also, there were Clarisse La Rue (I don't know if I made the right choice in choosing her), Chris Rodriguez, Travis and Connor Stoll, Katie Gardner, Silena Beauregard, Charles Beckendorf, and Grover Underwood. I know we're more than ten but I don't think Mr. Gristle minded since he just needed to keep an eye on those that started an intimate relationship. Plus, he did say at _least _ten.

We were all talking, sharing stories, joking around, and teasing like the usual when someone knocked on the door. I was actually expecting it to be Rachel Dare but thankfully, it was Juniper, Grover's girlfriend. I couldn't actually pinpoint what emotions she was expressing but I think it was between fear and nervousness.

Being the attentive boyfriend that he is, he immediately saw her distress, running to her side and letting her sit on one of the chairs in the far corner with both of them talking in hushed voices.

"She said what!" Grover screamed, sounding as if he wanted to be wrong when it comes to his hearing. "Please tell me that she didn't really do that."

"She did. I heard it from Rose and Miranda. They saw it happen!"

He gulped visible and walked towards us. "What happened?" Percy asked, standing up and gestured for his other best friend to sit. "Grover, tell me what's wrong"

"Rachel, she…" he looked as if he was about to cry. "She broke your History project for revenge on what you did to her."

"Wait, the Great Wall?" Percy looked horrified, shaking his head viciously.

But Grover confirmed his suspicions. "I'm so sorry, Percy."

My boyfriend bit his bottom lip, "We worked two hours on that. She couldn't have been so evil…" And he looked me, realizing that my eyes were stinging as some tears rolled down my cheeks. At least it was already graded, right? At least we don't have to do that again. But it was still so much time and effort going to waste, so much sweat and blood and tears just being thrown to the trash. No, Rachel can't do this to us. Especially when I haven't even done anything to her.

Before I knew it, I was walking down the crowded hall with the students parting like the Red Sea just for me. I didn't even notice that Percy was following me until he grabbed my arm, shaking me as if he was trying to wake me up from my nightmare. "Wise girl, what are you planning to do?" he asked as he pushed me against the wall, carefully this time.

"She's going to pay." I hissed, pushing him away from me but failing miserably.

"Annabeth" he whined, "Nothing's going to come of it."

"I don't care. We worked so hard on that. You have to understand why I'm feeling like this. Percy, you worked your butt off for that, probably more than I did."

He sighed. "Just, take it easy on her. I got your back."

We pushed past through the many teenagers and stormed in her room, but I might as well have broken the door. I ignored the fact that she was making-out with a guy I didn't recognize at the moment and dragged her to the other side of the room with incredible strength and stamina that I never thought I had. "Did you or did you not ruin my History project?" I growled on her face.

Rachel dared to smile. "Who ever told you that?"

"So you admit it?"

The bitch nodded, "What are you going to do to me, Annie? We both know you're not capable of hurting me."

"Well, I technically am." And with that, I threw her to the farthest wall, making sure that Percy catches her. "And it's not just me that you got mad, dear Rachel" I spat. "You may not know it but you ruined all your chances on getting back together with Percy, if there are any."

Seaweed Brain smirked and forced her on the seat, making her wince. He then headed to the teacher's table and pulled out the duck tape (I don't know why it was there but I was pretty glad that it was), attaching her to the said chair. "Now, I'm not going to hurt you physically." I told her, placing both hands on the desk and glaring at her. "But I will make sure you're punished."

I closed all the curtains and made sure that the doors were locked before smiling mischievously at my boyfriend. In a blink of an eye, our lips were locked in an intimate give and take that I have experienced so many times before, smiling as he pushed me against the wall, my legs around his waist as he grinded against me, making me moan. I honestly forgot that Rachel was watching since I focused everything on pleasuring him and myself.

The only thing that made me realize that she was still there was her scream when my fingers lifted his shirt enough for her to see his well-toned abs. "Please, don't." she looked like she was about to cry and Percy smiled, placing me gently on the floor as he leaned on the wall. "I'll do everything. Just don't do this to me."

"Since I'm feeling nice, I won't" I told her, "But you have to swear that this feud between us will not stoop so low that we're ruining each other's projects."

She nodded and continued struggling with her bonds, unable to break through. Surprisingly, she started crying, real tears on her eyes. I actually did feel bad for her, seeing that she can't really handle being alone and vulnerable. "You're not going to leave me like this, are you?" Rachel whimpered, her red hair flowing widely as she shook her head.

"I'm sorry but we have no choice." Percy said, giving a sad smile as he took my hand.

"Please, don't…" she said again but I ignored it and walked out of the room, making sure that no one was there before gesturing for him to come. But before she was out of ear shot, she said, "Percy, after everything we've done together, everything we've been through, giving up our virginities…"

At this, I froze. My heart felt like it has stopped beating for an entire minute. My breathing turned shallow. No, Rachel was lying. Of course she was. That's where she's good at, breaking other people's relationships. I looked at my boyfriend's face just to see if she was or not but he refused to meet my gaze.

And that was when I realized that it was true.

"How could you?" I hissed at him, choking on my words. "How could you lie to me?"

"I didn't lie to you" he insisted, grabbing me by the shoulders, preventing me from running away. "Annabeth, it's not true."

I shook my head viciously. "Stop lying to me! Percy, please just tell me what I need to know."

But he sighed. "It was the day before our break-up." He started and I knew this would never benefit me. "When I went home during her party, she called me and told me to go to her house because it was an emergency. So when I did, she tricked me into drinking something she spiked and then I just woke up in her bed the next day." I whimpered at the end of his statement, pushing him away from me.

"So I wasn't your first?" Percy bit his bottom lip and his beautiful sea green eyes looked guilty.

"I'm so sorry." He sounded as if he was having a hard time to breathe. "It was an accident, Wise Girl, I swear. I didn't know what I was doing. It just happened and Rachel tricked me and…" he paused, letting the fact sink in. "We broke up when she woke up and I went over to your house and I guess you know what happened next."

"I asked you what was wrong and you told me you and Rachel broke up because of some stupid thing that you did and that you just needed someone to be with." I said in one breath, reminiscing on the moment when he practically knocked my front door down and hugged me tightly.

He nodded and placed both of his hands on top of mine, trying to look at me. I gasped when I saw the emotions in his eyes. Pain. Guilt. Frustration. "If I could turn back time, I would have told myself not to go. I was stupid enough to believe that something was wrong with her and that she really did need my help."

"It's not your fault." I closed my eyes and let the tear roll down my cheek. "I just need to think about this for a while." I ran away from him, through the now empty hallway, and to the comfort of my best friend's arms.

Thalia immediately asked me what was wrong and I told her everything, answered every one of her questions in the way I know best. And she was shocked. Of course she would be. She thought that Percy would have the decency not to do that with Rachel. She even said that he only did it with me, only me and she would make sure that it stays like that. When I finished my rant, mixed with sobbing and shaking and choking, she held me at arm's length and measured out her words carefully.

"Annabeth, I know at first I never supported this relationship but now that I see that you two are very happy together, happier than I have seen you in my entire life, I realize that maybe the step you took was for the best. Percy's your soul mate, the man you love, the man who would jump in front of a bullet just to save you, the man who you're living for, and the man who you would die without. You two are perfect for each other so don't let something that Rachel Dare did get in between that." She took a deep breath, "The first thing I saw in you when we were kids was how persistent you really are, how you want something to go your way or else something bad will happen. I like that in you and maybe you can use that now."

She was right. I love him and the past was behind us now. I may not be Percy's first kiss but I was as sure as hell that I am his first love. And his only love. Rachel may have stolen something that I was supposed to take but I'm not regretful that I gave mine to him. "Thanks, Thalia" I murmured, hugging her tightly.

When I stepped out of the room, I immediately saw my boyfriend leaning against the wall, fiddling with his fingers. He heard me, of course, but refused to look at me. "I'd understand if you want to break-up" he said in a low voice but I knew that it was really hard for him to say.

"I promised that you and I will never be separated. What you said a while ago just hurt me in a way that you didn't tell me everything even when we swore to each other that we would." He mumbled an apology there but I placed a finger on his lips, quieting him. "I was never mad at you, Seaweed Brain and I'm glad that you and I are together now. Let's just put the past behind us and focus on the present. I love you."

He smiled and pressed his lips gently to mine. "I love you" he echoed with just as much emotion, maybe even more. "But I don't really count Rachel as my first. She did take me but it was against my will and I practically was half conscious then. And my other half was drunk. So if we both agree to it, you're my first and it was the most amazing thing that I have ever felt." I shivered as his hot breath hit my ear but giggled otherwise wrapping my arms around his neck, on my tiptoes. Why does he have to be so tall?

"I think I agree with you on the last one." I told him honestly, running my hand down his chest just to lace them with his fingers.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"It wasn't your fault." I repeated with my head on his shoulder as he ran his fingers through my hair. "You didn't know what you were doing."

He brought me back to our room, surprised that our friends were watching us with such eagerness that it made me a little self conscious. "Thalia told us what happened." Jason explained, standing up.

"Yeah," Grover agreed. "I always knew that Rachel was bad but tricking you to do _that _is just plain evil."

Many nodded, "I'm not the one to judge but out of all the girls you could have done, it was Dare that you chose." Travis sighed disapprovingly but we just laughed at his ministrations, Percy punching him lightly on the shoulder just for good measure. But I could still see him wince.

"You should have charged her for rape." Clarisse, the violent one, called from the far end of the room.

"Yeah but she'll have a really good lawyer to say that I was the one who raped her."

My cousin made a face at him and murmured curse words under her breath before focusing on her boyfriend's lips on hers.

They asked us what happened with Rachel when we confronted her about the project thing and Percy and I just said that we made-out in front of her. Period. They don't have to know that we were so close to screwing each other in front of her. But they said that it was as good a punishment as any, muttering that she deserved it. And Silena actually squealed in delight when she heard that we left her duck-taped to the chair, screaming for help that would never come. As wrong as it sounded, I was actually hoping for someone to take advantage of her weakness but I knew it was too good to be true.

We had twenty minutes till we return to school work and we gave that time to just get some shut eye. Percy and I cuddled in my sleeping bag, not really surprised that we fit, and he would tell me how much he loved me and how much he wanted to be with me forever and how he wished that Rachel would realize her mistake of trying to break us up and just leave us alone. I smiled as every "I love you" escaped his lips and I would hum or moan or reply with the same three words as a response.

By 1:30, all of us went straight to the auditorium, sleepy and cranky just like everyone else. Mr. Gristle gave his welcome remarks, told us how happy he is that we came and that he knows that we were tired but we had to make some sacrifices after so many weeks off. Many groaned at the fact but no one argued, seeing that they wouldn't have much to argue on. "Now, I want to acknowledge the person who risked his life just to save his little sister during the school accident. Percy Jackson, please stand."

A bright spotlight blinded me as it shined on the man on my right but he just smirked, doing what our principal said but having that humble smile on his face. Most gave him a standing ovation, cheering for his bravery and loyalty. I won't lie when I tell you that I kissed him right there and then, which made the cheering even louder. "I'm so proud of you, Seaweed Brain." I said.

He mouthed a 'Thank you' before taking his seat once again. Mr. Gristle cleared his throat and the entire student body was quiet. "Now, your teachers and I have been thinking of giving you a time to have fun with your friends so we thought that it would be best if we go to Montauk for a week, take a break from school."

Everyone screamed, saying that they loved the idea. "Now, Percy's father, Mr. Jackson, has agreed to help us with the housing so he rented ten houses for us to stay in. Sadly, this will only be for the year who has given the most donations and all of us have to agree that it would be…" The last words were drowned because everyone around me screamed, many cheered and laughed and just smiled.

"Now, please be mindful that we are not going to tolerate any drinking or smoking or drugs. Also, the same rules apply there as it does here. Lastly, teenage pregnancies are still strictly discouraged in this school so we would like to avoid any…" he didn't continue, seeing everyone's faces.


	23. Chapter 23

The week passed by so fast, with my boyfriend thanking his father endlessly about what he did. And Poseidon just keeps brushing it off as a gift for both of us to finally get the privacy that we deserve but couldn't have. I blushed at the comment and Percy couldn't help but feel embarrassed at how his dad said it. He was actually pretty glad for the discretion.

"Look, we have to go or the bus will leave us."

"Annabeth, I know where it is. We went there before, remember?"

"Well yeah but we don't want them to know that." He laughed heartily before placing all of our bags on the trunk of his car, opening the door for me before getting in himself.

He parked the car in the junior parking area, just in time to see that they were already boarding the bus. I still don't get why we needed a bus since most of us know where Montauk was and they can follow our car but I can't really argue much. Mr. Gristle walked towards us and told us that there was no more space and the other bus couldn't go so we have to follow them by car. Percy and I went back to his Honda, starting the engine and driving off, leading our friends and enemies to our paradise.

Nothing much changed in the beach house other than the fact that Rachel Dare was right outside the door. There was nothing more to do than to stay inside and watch as all of them squeal in delight as the sea breeze hit their faces or as the waves lap at their feet. Rachel and her friends were already in their bikinis, showing off more skin than is needed, and giggling as they talk about something that I probably would get mad at.

"What do we do now?" I asked, clearly bored.

"Well, there is the ocean waiting outside the door. Why don't we just hang out there for a while?"

Somehow, he got me to agree since I was already changing in the walk-in closet that is connected to the bedroom. I wore one of Percy's shirts on and smiled at how he just wore swimming trunks, a towel draped on his shoulders.

They knew that the house we were staying at was officially Percy's but I didn't expect them to make such a big deal out of it. I swear, the only thing that was keeping them out was the fact that Clarisse was inside that house, probably making out with her boyfriend, and no one dares disturb her especially when it was getting hotter by the second. How I knew that, well, I have my guesses. And the fact that we just saw them on the couch before we went out.

"What to do, what to do?" I asked myself as I sat on the beach towel, applying sun block on my skin. The last time I forgot to put it on, I had a horrible sun burn that lasted for two weeks and it stings like hell. I am not going to let that happen again.

"I'm going swimming." Percy said, kissing the side of my face before wading in the water and diving in, disappearing from my view.

I sighed and placed the bottle beside me, picking up the book I was reading. "Hey, Annabeth." I was about to respond when I suddenly realized who's voice it was. There was this sense of familiarity building up inside me and I couldn't help the excitement and fear that was taking over.

"Luke?" I gasped as I turned, meeting the blue eyes I never thought I would see again.

Before I could even think, I hugged him eagerly, burying my face on his neck and he returned the embrace. "I missed you so much" I told him, taking a good look of his handsome features. Even through the years of separation, you could still see the scar on his face, running from beneath his right eye to his jaw. He still wouldn't tell me how he got it and I stopped asking when I realized that it was useless, seeing that Luke was just as stubborn as Percy is.

"How did you get here?"

"I keep in touch with Chris, you know." He looked around nervously. "And he said that you're all going here. I just wanted to know if what I heard was true."

"That what's true?" But I think I knew the answer.

Luke Castellan has been like a brother to me, never leaving me side when I was child. There are times when I would blame Percy that he was the reason as to why he left me alone but it was never his. Once, maybe, I did love him but not the way I loved Seaweed Brain. No one can replace him but Luke has always been there for me. He taught me how to fight. He was my first _real _friend until he left me.

"You and Percy. Percy and you. Are you together now?" this was said through gritted teeth

I realized that it was no use keeping a secret from him, seeing that he might as well have seen how Percy kissed me before he left. But there was something in his eyes that was hoping for it all to be untrue, that I just waited for him to come back to me and reserved myself for him only, that I never felt anything for Percy and my heart was set on being with him. But, as I said, I didn't love him like that. "Yes." I said honestly, "I love him"

"You don't know that. He might be using you" He's always been so overprotective.

"Using me for what? To get high grades? To get someone jealous? As far as I'm concerned, Luke, Percy has never wanted that anyways. He loves me and he's always there for me."

But he just shook his head. "There are so many things you don't understand, 'Beth." Then he paused, as if to think of the next words to say. "You've always been the clever one but you're always blinded by how a person treats you. You don't know if he's just using you for his own selfish deeds, wants to be with you because you're smart. There are people who don't look at who you really are."

"Percy's not like that. He's different. I know it and you know it. We've been best friends ever since we were twelve and ever since then, he never left my side. He's my home, the only person I could trust, the only person I could love."

A cool breeze swept through my exposed skin and goosebumps trace its wake. Where was Seaweed Brain when you need him? But Luke was there. He was always there to keep me warm before. But now, I can't really find the strength to let my guard down when I'm with him. It was so easy before but now, I don't know what he's going to do to me.

"Look, I just came to visit. Tell Thalia that I said hi and please be careful with who you trust." There was no other word said than a strangled "Good bye" before he left, his footprints on the sand quickly fading as another breeze was felt.

And I watched where he disappeared, watch as all the many memories we had together was brought with him. I let him go before and now that I was happy, he came back to me, almost begging for me to take him again. And the worse thing is that we weren't even together. There were so many things I wanted to tell him in the past, how I got straight A's in my card just two years ago and how I never really broke my punctuality record ever since I was in the sixth grade. But when he was right in front of me, I couldn't say them. I wasn't comfortable now than I was before. It was like talking to a stranger. I didn't know him anymore. He wasn't the same Luke Castellan that I once loved.

Percy sat beside me a few minutes later, dripping wet as he dried his hair. He noticed my mood so he asked me what was wrong and I told him about my recent encounter with his former enemy. Of course there was one time when they were very good friends but Luke betrayed him and he never trusted him again, even when he tried to apologize. "He talked to you."

"Yeah"

"What did you tell him?" he was dangerously calm about this but I know that once I look back at his sea green eyes, the exact same color of the water I was staring at now, I would see so much pain and hurt and jealousy and sadness.

I took his hand in mine just to comfort him. "I told him how happy I am with you and how seeing him again will never change that." Okay, so maybe the last one was a lie but I did want to tell Luke that. I just didn't have the chance.

"Annabeth," he said my name almost like a sigh. "I love you, so much, but having to hear that someone like Luke talk to you in a way most girls can't resist, I just can't stand that."

"Wait, you were _watching_?"

He shook his head solemnly, "You told me everything, right?" Oh, yeah…

Percy tilted my face up to meet his eyes, filled with passion and love and loyalty, and I locked them with mine. My emotions were all boiling up inside me, for my boyfriend and for the person I treated as a brother. And at that moment, I knew for sure that Percy Jackson, the captain of the swimming team, one of the hottest guys in school, the son of one of the richest people in New York, the most perfect man in the planet, loves me. With all his heart, soul, body, and mind. "I love you" I said, smiling as I captured his lips with mine.

"I love you, too" he replied, kissing me tenderly as he pulled me closer to him. "Please, never leave me."

"Don't worry" I gasped, the words said in between labored breaths. "I won't. I won't. I won't."

Sunday. There was a reason why it's one of my most favorite days of the week. And I'm going to tell you soon enough. I woke up with a huge smile on my face, growing wider and wider as I looked at the man beside me, placing my head on his chest as he unconsciously wrapped an arm around me.

I was tracing kisses on his jaw when he finally woke up, turning his head to face mine and was rewarded by the mischievous glint in his beautiful green eyes. "Hello" he murmured, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"Hi" I replied in the same volume, "What are you looking at?"

He smiled, "The most beautiful person in the world" I blushed at the comment and sat up, placing a hand on his bare chest. He likes sleeping shirtless, especially when he's with me.

We were in the middle of a really hot make-out session when Thalia screamed from downstairs. "Hey guys! You have got to see this!"

When she uses that tone, you know that what she's saying really will benefit us. Being the first day of the week, I was in for something to see. So after getting dressed in under five minutes, we ran downstairs, laughing because Percy tripped on the last step so he fell face first on the ground. Thankfully, he wasn't bruised or whatever because I know that it was going to be a problem for the other girls after him. Note the sarcasm. "So, what is it that you want to show us?" my boyfriend asked as he dusted himself off.

Thalia cleared her throat but you could still see the hint of a smile on her face. She pointed outside the window and we cautiously approached it, seeing two people in the beach. At first, I didn't recognize who they were but I soon saw that it was Violet Anderson and Michael Yew. In that position, you would immediately think that they were a couple, seeing that they were so close together and Vi just started giggling, probably at what Yew said and I saw them lean in until their lips met in a kiss that as sure as hell wasn't just friendly. "See, I knew they were a couple." Silena squealed silently, hugging her sister.

"They're so cute together" Katie smiled, "Don't you think?" this question was more directed to me but I guess I really do have to agree.

"Why do you think they're keeping this?"

"Maybe they have the same reason as they do" Jason gestured to the two of us and we both turned as red as tomatoes, me blushing more than him.

But Percy shook his head. "Not our fault that you probably would have overreacted, which is the exact thing that you did." He shot Thalia a dirty look and she raised her arms in surrender, almost saying that it wasn't her fault.

"Look, why don't we just handle this after we have breakfast. I'm hungry." Connor said seriously, but earned him a few laughs.

So we had breakfast that Katie specifically made. Seeing her boyfriend and her boyfriend's twin brother's appetite, she doubled what she would usually serve. Being the daughter of Rose Gardner can give you that talent, just as me being the daughter of Athena Chase or Percy being the son of Poseidon Jackson. "You should really teach me how to do this Katie." I complimented as I shoved another spoonful of her scrambled eggs. It was so good that I completely ignored my manners, which surprised everyone but Seaweed Brain.

"I'll think about it" she giggled and pecked Travis gently on the cheek. She can quite bipolar at times, being snobby or annoying when she wants to be and then changing to the sweet girl she really is. Surprisingly, he was getting quite used to that, especially when Connor and he are specifically planning on doing something big on her and her only.

"What do we do now?" Jason asked, bored as he twirled a strand of Piper's hair with his fingertips. You could almost see the hint of a smile on her face.

"It's a Sunday!" Silena smiled, "Why don't we just hang out like we used to, with absolutely no worries about Rachel Dare or her cronies or whatsoever."

I rolled my eyes at her usual cheeriness but I have to say that the enthusiasm was quite contagious. "I'm going to see Lacy. Any of you guys coming?" Piper looked expectantly at us and her boyfriend merely shrugged, agreeing to the suggestion. Soon afterward, Leo did too so they exited the room.

"How about you Clarisse? What are you planning to do the entire day?" Percy was being oddly polite. But he seemed to want them out of the house.

And I think I knew the reason.

The buff girl scrunched her nose in disgust when she saw another scene unfolding outside. Apparently, Vi and Michael decided to take it more seriously and were having one of the hottest make-out sessions I have ever seen. "Why do you care, prissy?" she spat

He just smiled and shook his head. "I'm going to Mark's. He wants to hang out like before. I don't really mind if Clarisse comes. He is her brother, after all." Chris raised an eyebrow at the girl beside him and she nodded, standing up and leaving without another word. He hesitantly followed her.

"Well, I'm going to help Janet on her date tonight with Gary so I don't think you would be seeing much of me today." Silena excused herself from the table and headed straight to her room, with Beck tailing behind her.

Grover and Juniper were going to the garden with Rose, Miranda, and Katie while Travis and Connor were going to prank some unwilling people. Thalia was planning to call Luke about what he told me and she didn't really want to be alone so Nico was with her. Percy, on the other hand, was looking at me expectantly, watching my reaction. There was something about the glint in his eyes that told me that he was worried about how hearing my best friend talk endlessly about my not-so-much-as-a-brother-but-sort-of-like-that friend would affect me. I was glad that he was holding no grudge against Luke but I knew that it hurt him to see the same fire that was once in my eyes whenever something reminded me of him. I let go of that before but when I looked at the spot on the beach where he once stood, I could see the many infinite possibilities that involved me and him having a happily ever after.

I shook the thought out of my head.

"So…" Percy started awkwardly, moving his gaze from my eyes to the plate half filled with Katie's delicious cooking. "Are you going to eat that?" he asked innocently and I managed a laugh, pushing it towards him. It was finished in merely one and a half minutes.

His eyes were on mine again, surprising me because he was being observant for the first time in his entire existence. "You okay, Wise Girl?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I answered with a raised eyebrow. But I knew why he asked. "Look, Luke's visit yesterday just bothered me. I'm just glad that he left before anything serious happened." I paused, giving him a teasing smirk. "Don't want to see my boyfriend break an arm because he tried to hit him."

Percy's eyes widened. "Are you saying that I can't take him?" he gasped, his face showing no more than amusement and disbelief. "You really are underestimating me, Annabeth."

"I was just teasing, Seaweed Brain." I laughed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Can't you take a joke?" I whispered to his ear.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" he shrugged and dropped the plate on the kitchen sink as he turned the tap on. "Could you help me here?"

So the rest of the morning, we focused on cleaning the house. It was something that he never really did before but I was glad that the intention was right. No one came for lunch so we took the opportunity to catch up on our alone time, seeing that we were always interrupted in the past, and he would kiss all the pain and worry away. And after that, he would take a pencil and a piece of paper just to draw me in the surprising way that he does, capturing my face in perfect detail with my eyes shining in the sunlight. "You really are full of surprises, Percy" I told him as I placed kisses along his collar bone, smiling when I felt his sigh.

"I could say the same thing about you." He teased. "But I won't."

I made a face at him and slapped him playfully on the chest before moving to straddle his waist and pressing my lips to his. "We're alone and we can do whatever we want, 'Beth." He reminded me. The way he said the last word was unlike Luke did, filled with a teasing compliment that I knew he just couldn't voice out. And I smiled because I just couldn't really stop myself from doing so with him around.

"Yeah, we can." I moved to kiss him again but it went deeper than the last, his fingers threading to my hair as he took it out of the loose ponytail. And I cupped his face, his arms immediately around me.

And we just stayed like that, making-out and pulling away when we needed to breathe and then making-out again. I was actually craving for something more and I knew that I did. It wasn't my fault that I was just like any other teenager especially when you have someone so perfect for a boyfriend. "Please, Perce." I breathed heavily as he traced kisses along my neck. "I _need _you"

He could almost smirk. "I know you do but I don't think I would." But I know his body was reacting otherwise. "I want you to beg, Annabeth."

On any other occasion, he would be the one on his knees. But that would be in any _other _occasion. Not this one. And I wanted him so badly I was drooling. "Please" I groaned, "I'm begging you."

"You don't mean that." He teased farther and maybe that wasn't his best move. A small growl escaped my lips and I crushed his lips to mine, hard enough that I tasted blood. I just wasn't sure whose it was. But he didn't look like I hurt him so I took advantage of that and my hands crept up his shirt. "Okay, so maybe you do."

We pulled away and he carried me bridal style up to the bedroom, as fast as his feet could manage at the moment. Most of the time, Percy was slower than a tree but when he wants something and he has to run to get it, he could be much faster than me.

So it happened and it left me breathless. It was actually quicker than I expected because I had that feeling that if we don't finish in an hour or so, someone would eventually barge in and see us. And Thalia still doesn't know my sexual life. "Are you sure this is only your second? Because you're so good at this." He turned to face me and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.

"Yes, Percy" I kissed him softly. "And I guess its instinct. It's actually really easy to please you."

"So I have to try twice as hard to do that to you." He smiled and I have to admit how it just made me think that I was undeserving of that smile.

We eventually got ready, him wearing ripped jeans and a plain white v-neck shirt. There was the option of never going to leave the bed, going on and on until I couldn't feel my legs but Jason and Piper were coming back earlier than expected and that would be really bad if they find out about what we're doing. It wasn't like I was ashamed but because they didn't have to know _everything _that happened to my life.

"You okay?" he whispered to my ear, his arms wrapping around my waist from behind.

It was hard for me to dress because of that lingering pain in my lower abdomen that made me not want to stand up, even after the bath I took. But I sighed, saying that I could hide it as I walk since they don't really watch my legs shaking.

Percy headed to the terrace, leaning against the railing as he watched the garden. It looked very peaceful, as if he enjoyed the silence and finally appreciated how beautiful his house really is.

But before I could even blink, he took a deep breath and jumped. "No!" I screamed after him, running to where he once stood. I feared the worse, seeing his legs broken on the ground, crying and moaning in pain. I refused to look down, though, even as I rethink of all the possibilities, choking down a sob. "Percy?" I called instead.

"Yes?" he answered, his tone perfectly healthy and happy. I thought I was dreaming or that I was just hearing things or that I wasn't and he was already a ghost standing behind me but as I took a single glance on the grassy ground, I saw nothing.

And that was when I noticed the strong branch stretched just under where I was standing and Percy leaning against the trunk of the tree. "Damn you, Seaweed Brain!" I gritted my teeth, "You scared me to death."

"But you're still alive." He replied smoothly, climbing up to meet me.

He was a good distance away from where I was standing and he looked at me expectantly, his eyes clearly saying that I should jump. I had very limited choices here since if I didn't, he would call me a coward for the rest of our lives and if I do, I have that slight possibility of dying and they would think that I committed suicide. "I'll catch you" he promised.

I took a deep breath and stood on the wooden barrier, separating me from him, balancing myself perfectly on my bare feet. He smiled kindly and I took his hand, taking one step.

The sensation was different than I have ever felt before. The sciences would have had a very good debate on reality for it predicted that the branch will break and Percy and I would plummet to the ground. But as the moment I jumped, his hand held tightly to mine and swung me to another branch, landing with perfect grace as if we have practiced the trick for a really long time. Although before that, when I was in midair, I felt like I was flying, for the first time I felt finally free and that was only with him. I trusted him and he never let me go.

My steps were careful as I went to him, together climbing higher and higher until we were level with the rooftop. I was glad that I didn't fear heights because we were pretty high up and if I took one wrong step and slip and fall, I would probably be dead before I hit the ground. "You've done this before?" I asked him, staring at the vast ocean with wonder-filled eyes. "Or you just wanted to take a hunch."

"Sort of in the middle" he said, looking at me. "I did try this at home, when mom and dad were out and Consuela was busy. I went to my bedroom window and did the same thing. It felt right and I don't know why. I just wasn't sure if the branch I was going to fall at would handle my weight as much as I thought. Clearly it didn't because I heard it crack so I went to another one, the one closer to you." He ended the story with a smile.

"If we're going to do this again," I told him, "We're going to do it the old fashioned way and not like Edward in _Twilight._"

"Aw, what's wrong with that way?" he asked innocently.

I would have rolled my eyes if I had the energy to do so but I guess I lacked a few bars so I opted not to. "We could have died, Seaweed Brain."

He had the nerve to laugh at me. And after a few minutes, I softened up and followed his lead. It was the good old days, when we had nothing to worry about but growing up someday. Some kids may have wanted to be older but we didn't like the idea because we were afraid to let go of what we already have and we believed that maybe turning an adult could change us.

Sometimes, he would throw twigs at the people that would pass and when they would look up to see what happened, we would hide and snicker mostly to ourselves. Only Thalia and the Stolls caught us but I don't think they're going to do much about it. I could almost imagine Connor whispering to his brother that he was proud of us. The best was probably when Rachel Dare came up and peeked on the living room window, as if wanting to look for us. And seeing that she didn't find us, she grumbled and stomped away but she tripped and fell to the mud. We had to cover our mouths just so that she won't hear us and even that did very little.

So, the reason why I love Sundays was because I always find time to be with my boyfriend and my friends. And I never thought that a person's life could be so close to perfect. I mean sure it wasn't like that before but they found a way to make sure that I was happy and they did. "Why are you with me?" It was more of an inaudible whisper, mostly said to myself, but he heard and I was glad that he did. I didn't want to repeat the question.

"How many times do you have to ask that?"

"Just answer the question, Kelp for Brains."

He smirked at my new nickname for him. "It's because I love you, Annabeth" he said simply, "I love you with all of my heart and you're the only person in my mind. Plus, you're my best friend so I practically know everything about you and that only made things much easier. I trust you and this is the only time that I felt like this to anyone."

"If I didn't tell you that I loved you that day in the garden, will we ever be like this now?"

Percy seemed to think about it. "Yes. You're the best thing that happened in my life and every one of my top ten favorite experiences happened with you. If you didn't tell me, I would have done what you did."

I hummed as I settled myself on his chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He smiled and kissed the top of my head.

It took them a good thirty minutes to finally call a teacher to bring us down. The entire scene was actually pretty funny considering how Mr. Brant, our Spanish teacher, almost had a heart attack when he saw our current positions. "You get down here right now!" he ordered, absolute fury in his eyes. "Or I will call your parents." The threat was more or less justifiable if I did have any parents who still care about my safety and since I don't, I was relying on my guardians to do that for them.

Percy grinned mischievously and gave me the look. My heart skipped a beat at the fact that it was so long since he looked at me like that. It was the I'm-going-to-do-something-stupid-so-don't-scream look and I nodded, kissing him softly. My boyfriend looked down and leaped from the branch we were on to the other branches, going lower and lower until he reached the ground with absolutely no marks on his perfect body. The crowd that formed was in awe, giving him a loud applaud that he brushed off.

"You are in a whole lot of trouble, young man!" the teacher said, "And you, Ms. Chase! I don't want to go calling your mother."

"Go ahead. She disowned me, remember?"

He looked at me, abashed, before jabbing a finger at my direction and didn't say anything. But the message was pretty clear in his eyes. He wanted me down and he wanted me down the normal way. The only sad thing about it is that I had the tendency to follow one order at a time. So I did go down, but not how a typical person does.

I was more graceful than Seaweed Brain was, jumping and swinging and leaping until I was close enough to the ground that I jumped at Percy. Thankfully, he saw it coming and grabbed me by the waist, settling me down gently. "You two…" he was at the loss for words. Even through the anger and frustration, you could see that he was clearly impressed at how we moved so easily. "I don't even know what I'm going to do to you."

"Why don't you just let us go? Plus, this _is _my property now so if you don't want to be charged with trespassing, I think you should go back to your house and think of what you've done." Percy sounded so confident. His eyes were glistening with such malice and mischief that it reminded me of how Connor and Travis would usually look like. "Or do you want me to personally deal with that problem?"

"You can't talk to me like that, Jackson." Mr. Brant growled, "I am your teacher and if I was in your place, I would respect my elders."

"I only respect those who deserve respect." My boyfriend shot back at him, "And you clearly do not."

Our teacher gave Percy one last nasty look before heading away, many teases and names said behind his back. "Coward" Seaweed Brain smirked and turned to me and I smiled when I realized that he was just joking around. Apparently, he was dared to talk to one teacher rudely and the Stolls gave him fifty bucks each. "I thought we agreed to a hundred?"

The twins shared looks and took off, leaving a trail of dust at their wake.

here...


	24. Chapter 24

"What do you mean you jumped?"

The only people who don't know about the incident with the tree were Violet, Hannah, and Bridget. They were all friends of mine and Percy's former girlfriends. But, as I mentioned before, they were actually really happy that we finally found each other and that they were planning to keep us that way. "You didn't see?" I asked in disbelief, sitting up straight.

"No" they all said simultaneously. "Was there anything to see?" Hannah added with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought I just said that we jumped to the ground from the highest branch." She wasn't the brightest among them but she sure as hell was beautiful.

So, just for them to stop asking, I told them how we ended up getting in trouble, from the moment Percy jumped from the terrace to when we both leaped gracefully to the ground without getting injuries. It was actually really fun, when you look at it. It made you feel like you can do everything and no one is stopping you from doing it. The wind in your face and how you can completely defy science.

There was nothing much to do but I couldn't find the strength to leave this place. As I watched the waves roll smoothly against the shore, I noticed that this was the only place where I could hear myself think without anyone distracting me. Well, other than my boyfriend but he always does that to me so it wasn't much of a big deal. "You know, I miss it when we four hang out." Bridget sighed in contentment.

I nodded, agreeing. I've been with Percy every second of the day and since he's busy talking to Nico and Jason about something he doesn't want to tell me about, I went and knocked on Vi's door. The next thing I know, I was sitting on the beach, talking about how I practically got away with jumping off a tree because of him.

"Hey guys!" It was Michael and Violet blushed when she saw him. "Look, can I talk to Vi for a while?"

"Talk to her about?" Hannah smiled and nudged the girl beside her.

Somehow, I found this funny. "Yeah, sure. I'm going to see what Seaweed Brain's up to anyways." I stood and brushed myself off. "Bye!"

They all replied and I sprinted to the house, where many people were gathering for a reason unknown to me. But as I came closer, I realized that it was one of the Stoll's tricks to get money. "What are you doing?"

"We, dear Annabeth, are going to pay back that boyfriend of yours." Connor made a face and I laughed.

"Where is he?"

Travis pointed to the garden at the back and I assumed that he might be practicing. They do have a competition when Percy comes back and it would be rather uncooperative and insensitive for me to force him to stop his passion. Plus, he will find time for me because we both know that we'd start worrying if we don't see each other in three hours.

True enough, Percy was doing laps while his cousin was watching him, writing something on a notepad in scribbles that only Piper can understand. "Hey Jase," I greeted with a smile, sitting beside him.

"Oh, hi Annabeth." he placed the notepad down on the floor and I realized that he wasn't what I thought he was doing but doodling things I could barely understand. But I disregarded it as unimportant.

"What's he doing now?" I asked, leaning on my arms and letting the sun bathe me with its warmth.

"Oh you know Percy" Jason mused slightly, chuckling from the look on my face. "Don't worry about it, Annie. It's his twentieth lap so he's bound to get tired soon."

Twentieth. That's not even close to his record. He gets tired at the fortieth and even at that he still has the energy to run around the entire vicinity without breaking a sweat. But I didn't say anything, staring at the blur in the water that was my boyfriend. "How long?"

"Ten minutes." He sighed, "I'm only here coz Piper's busy with my sister and Silena. I'm actually really afraid for her."

I laughed at this, crossing my legs. "If he's going to keep up the entire perfect façade," he started, grabbing the can from beside him and taking a swig. "More and more of his fan girls would go crazy. No offence."

"None taken."

There was silence and I enjoyed it. I've never had any time alone with Jason in such a long time and he was a really good listener and a really fun person to talk to. I mean yeah, he was pretty good looking but I never had any interest on him. He was like a brother to me and I'm planning to keep it that way. Plus, he and Piper are perfect together, the second Percabeth, as Silena calls it. "I wish we could just stay here for the rest of our lives." I smiled at the idea.

"And then we can have school near the beach and every night, we would go out and watch the stars until we fall asleep."

"That's a nice idea." He commented, looking at me. "Too good to be true, though."

I stood, "You don't know that." It was the last thing I told him before heading to the side of the pool.

Percy noticed me coming and stopped mid stroke right in front of me. He was actually panting now and I knew that it was only a matter of time for him to get out of that pool. "Hey, Seaweed Brain" I mumbled in between the kisses he gave me, soft and sweet and passionate.

Even through my tight grip on the bars that were holding me firmly on my feet, he managed to pull me to the water. I would have killed him for this if I wasn't too happy but I technically was so I let him go for once, pressing my lips to his again.

"What do you think will happen this summer, if we stay here?"

He gently caressed my back, his nose nuzzling the skin just below my ear. "Well, I like the idea of you and I staying in our room and we can do whatever we want without worrying about school and everything." And he pulled back, stroking my cheek with the back of his hand. "As long as I'm with you, whatever plan for this summer will be perfect."

I placed my head on his muscled chest and his arms made their way around my waist, his mouth trailing kisses on my neck. When I glanced at the spot I was once sitting at, I noticed that Jason was gone, probably left when he realized that we needed some time alone. I actually thanked him mentally for the privacy that he has given us because he knew that I will do the same for him.

He didn't continue with the other twenty laps. Instead, we just floated on the water, holding hands so we wouldn't be separated. Sometimes, I would splash water at him, for fun, and he would glare at me and do the same thing. And we made out until we couldn't breathe anymore, but that still didn't stop us from devouring each other with kisses. "Don't tell me that you need me again." I whispered seductively to his ear and he chuckled.

"Why? Do you want me to need you?"

"Not now, I still can't feel my legs after the last time."

Percy placed a hand on the curve of my hip, the other lingering on my face. His thumb gently moved over my bruised lips, moving to my cheekbone, until he ran it through my wet hair. I made the mistake looking in his eyes, realizing that I was lost in them again, showing so many intense emotions and the absolute idea made my heart swell. Everything just was so perfect when I'm with him, and every single moment of my life is willing to spend its time with him. "I want to show you something"

"What?" I asked

I didn't realize that we were already running towards the house, dripping with water and I was afraid that one of us would slip and fall. Thankfully, nothing like that happened and Percy was already pulling me to a room at the end of the hall. Halfway there, he told me that I should close my eyes because he wanted it to be a surprise. I heard him open the door and my curiosity was threatening to overwhelm me. I could barely control my body and he seemed to understand because he told me to open them.

And what I saw made my knees week.

They were paintings of me and I looked at him, tears willing to escape as I hugged him tightly. "When did you have time to do all this?"

"I guess when you leave for the day or when you're not there." He answered, wrapping a strong arm around my shoulders. "That one," he pointed to a painting near the window, "That's the first I have ever made, when we first met. And this," he took one from the nearest table, "Is my favorite."

I could tell why it was. It showed me and him on the beach, watching the sunset painted with beautiful oranges and pinks and yellow and reds. If you look closer, you could see that we were holding hands as we walked, our bare feet on the cool sand. It was clear that we were laughing, talking, telling stories like we always do and I enjoyed every single waking moment of it. And the waves would lap at our feet as if it were real. I could almost imagine the moment, so perfect that it was picturesque to the mind. "It's beautiful." I said sincerely, my fingers trailing lightly on the acrylic paint that he used. "You should hang one in our bedroom." It was an innocent suggestion but I think he found it rather amusing.

"Do you want me to?"

"I was the one who asked." He laughed and nodded, placing it back down on its stand.

The rest were of the many times we had together: a portrait of his family and me during Christmas Eve, me caught in mid-laugh with my eyes shining brightly as the right light hit them, all fifteen of us spending the holidays together, and my favorite, Percy and me kissing all the pain away. There were many other more, hundreds of portraits with me highlighted as the star. "How did it get here?"

"I find my time to bring my things here. I thought it would be my second home and I wanted it to be yours too. And I sorta got carried away and brought most of the paintings here."

"Wait, _most_?" I asked in disbelief, looking at him. "You mean there are others?"

"Not technically." Percy replied, sitting down on a chair with me on his lap. "The others were more of sketches that I did when I was bored."

"I knew you were good but I didn't think you were _this _good." He chuckled and placed his head on my shoulder, his fingers running up and down my arms in the most comforting way.

No one spoke for a good three minutes. The silence was nice as he watched me admire the pieces of art in front of me. Maybe this was how it was meant to be: graduate college, get married to Percy, have kids who were just as perfect as him, grow old, and die with a smile on our faces. I found the idea strangely satisfying, living every single waking moment with the man I love and showing him how much I love him.

Dinner was the same as it was yesterday but instead of eating with the Jacksons, I was with our friends. It was rather nice to have them by your side no matter what happened and I know I would stay loyal to them just as they were to me. "Hey, Piper?" I called to the other end of the table, where she was talking to Jason about something I don't really understand.

"Yeah?" she looked up with a smile.

"Can you do something for me?"

She raised an eyebrow but nodded, seeing that it would have been the best choice for her. She does know that I always get what I want and she doesn't want to make it harder for herself. "I need you to give this to Lacy. It's really important that she gets it."

"What is it?" Percy asked suspiciously.

"I'll tell you later"

She pocketed the letter that I passed to her and I made sure that she will not open it under any circumstances. It may not look like much but it contains very vital information that only Silena knows. It is related mostly to Piper's birthday party that we're planning and it might be a little exaggerating when I said that we are going to give her a party of a lifetime. But I will make sure that she will have what she is promised. I'm actually planning to tell Jason but it might be better if he finds out when we're already doing the party because we don't want him to slip up in the conversation and tell his girlfriend all about it.

"Look, it's getting late." I told them after we watched TV for two consecutive hours. "Piper, remember what I told you. Don't. Open. The. Letter." She rolled her eyes and shook her head

"Don't worry about it, Annabeth. I won't."

"Jason, make sure she doesn't open the letter." This was Percy who said that and the guy smirked, waving it off but agreeing all the same.

When we were safely out of earshot, I told him about our plan. On the day of her birthday, we would make sure that everyone will be there for her and they would act like there was nothing going on. Meanwhile, the rest of us were going to her house and fix up everything she likes doing. We're not going to make it like those in the movies where the friends would ignore the celebrant and then, by the end of the day when she was completely disappointed, they would surprise her with a party that wasn't even nice.

No, that wasn't our plan. We were giving her all the attention so that she won't be suspicious and then act like it was any other birthday. Percy and I would make an excuse as to why we couldn't be there for her and they would keep her in the mall until everything was ready. Probably, at the process, Silena would get carried away and buy her all the clothes that she thinks look good on her. "And we'll just bring her to the party and make sure it all goes according to plan." I concluded, taking a deep breath.

"Wow, you made it much more complicated than it should be."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Percy laughed and kissed the side of my face, "Not really."

For the rest of the night, we just talked. Maybe every once in a while, when he would get the chance, he would place soft kisses on my face. We mentioned some things that happened today that we did separately, like his conversation with Nico and Jason and my conversation with the girls. And we would laugh at how Mr. Brant looked like when we jumped. His eyes were so happy whenever they looked at me, filled with love.

We lost track of time. The next thing I knew, it was already midnight and I was emotionally and physically exhausted. He looked like he felt the same so he understood it when I settled myself on his chest, smiling as his warmth spread to me. "Good night." I told him, kissing his throat once.

"G'night" he replied, his lips on my hair. "I love you," Percy adds quickly.

"Love you, too." I sighed in happiness as the sea scent overwhelmed me. It helped me sleep, helped me relax and after what happened today, it was the only thing I needed.


	25. Chapter 25

Sneaking out in the middle of the night has always been one of the only things I can do right. Apparently, Percy decided to go to the beach when everyone was asleep. You see, Mr. Gristle strictly implied a curfew from 10pm-6am and he wants everyone to follow it. The only flaw in their plan was that no one was watching us during those specific nights so the act was pretty easy.

"Are you sure we should do this?" I asked warily as I wiped the sleep from my eyes, grabbing his outstretched hand as he helped me onto a branch.

"Who said we shouldn't?" he looked at me expectantly.

The moment we reached the ground, we ran hand in hand towards the beach. We ran and ran, not stopping as I felt the cool wind in my hair, until I could feel the waves overlapping on my bare feet. Since we didn't really care if someone does catch us, Percy and I chatted away as if it was any other morning (or night). "Look, I still don't know if you're okay with this or anything but I really have to help with the party."

Percy sighed, "You know that if it's for the best, then you can. I'm just saying that I might be a little lonely when that comes."

"Don't worry, Seaweed Brain." I whispered to his ear. "I'll give you something to think about when I'm out."

"Is that a good thing?"

I kissed him for an answer, sweet and passionate. My hands snaked around his neck while his wrapped itself around my waist, as if on instinct. It was my dream kiss, standing on the beach in the middle of the night with the man I love in my arms. And then we would separate to the sight of the sun rising in the east. The idea was too good to be true but, as I said, all teenage fairytales are.

He trailed kisses to my neck, sucking at it gently. "Percy, if that leaves a mark I swear to God you will pay for it." It all came out as a moan so there wasn't exactly much force inserted.

"We both know that you like this, Wise Girl." He mused to my skin, looking at me once with those beautiful green eyes.

Sadly, though, he did. The next morning, I woke up with a very visible hickey right where his mouth once was. I know that people would start asking if I wear a turtleneck in such a hot day. He got a really nice punch on the stomach for that and I hated the fact that he started laughing at me when he saw every single emotion crossing my face. "How am I supposed to hide this now?" I groaned as I examined the purplish-black blotch in front of the mirror. My reflection showed absolute disgust as my fingers thread over my skin. According to previous experience (I'd rather not talk about it), this would probably disappear in a few weeks. But till then, what am I going to do?

"Just put your hair down." He said, rather calmly at that as he stretched his arms above his head, yawning.

"Thalia's going to ask."

"Just tell her then that I like your hair like that and you refused to argue with me this morning."

It was as good a plan as any so I did it, making sure that my blonde curls would cover the bruise thoroughly. I couldn't risk having Thalia have even a single glimpse for she would start asking and Silena would eventually butt in and then, before I know it, I would be locked in a room with them staring me down. "This better work, Jackson"

"Don't worry about it, Chase." He mocked me gently, "I'll explain everything when they do see." This was said as a whisper to my ear and I shivered as his moist breath spread through my earlobe. "But I doubt that will happen."

My mind was reeling. If this doesn't work, I'd fully depend on my boyfriend giving an excuse as to why there's a mark on my neck but there is a possibility that he would tell the truth, even when I strictly told him not to. What am I supposed to do then? My best friend would start lecturing me as if she were my mother and then she would start asking me about my entire relationship and every step that we took into making it the way it is. And when she finds out that we did it twice already, she would absolutely freak out and would go as far as grounding me until I turn forty.

Somehow, I got dressed to a decent enough attire: short shorts, a white tank top, Percy's black hoodie, and some black sandals that I always use. I was so distracted that I completely forgot that I was done with my bath and now staring into space so I hurriedly dressed to the first articles of clothing I could find that was right for my current situation and exited in record time.

No one asked me about why my hair was down or why I was wearing a hoodie with the sun shining so warmly. Thalia was sitting down on the sofa, having a very serious conversation with Jason so she was very busy to realize why I was wearing so. I sighed in relief, plopping down on the nearest chair. "Hey, Annabeth?"

_Just when I was getting hopeful_, I groaned in my head. But I faced the speaker, realizing that it was no more than Piper who was eyeing me carefully.

"Yeah?"

"What are you wearing?"

I chuckled, waving her off. I really hoped that it was very convincing. "Clothes, duh"

"No, why are you wearing that?" she corrected herself.

This wiped the smile from my face. What am I supposed to say now? I took a deep breath and removed the hoodie, letting her see the top that I was wearing. The other layer was discarded and now hung on the arm of the nearest chair.

"That's much better." Piper cooed.

I made sure that I didn't move much or that if I do, my hair still covers what needs to be covered. Leo made the mistake to move past me so he accidentally brushed off a few strands, revealing my neck fully but thankfully, no one was looking. "You're taking this way too seriously, Wise Girl."

"Of course" I replied, placing my head on his shoulder.

"You know you can't keep this up"

"I'll just let them find out for themselves." He nodded, kissing the top of my head

What surprised me the most was that they weren't even the slightest bit curious why I was acting so weird lately. Of course, Thalia would give questioning looks but she never said a word. Honestly, I had this feeling that she was keeping something from me, much more important than what I was keeping from her. She never really did say what happened during her conversation with Luke.

"Thalia, tell me the truth." I said.

It was the afternoon of the same day. Percy was talking to Mr. Gristle about something that I know he'll tell me about later, if it was important, and the rest were doing what they always do. My best friend and I were hanging out in the front porch, watching all my other friends walk around even when the sun was at its peak. "What?"

"You've been awfully quiet lately, is something bothering you?"

She looked at me with a small smile, shaking her head. "It's nothing. Luke just said something that stuck with me."

I pushed her further. I will never quiet myself until I know why she was acting this way. Did they talk about me? Did Thalia get mad because Luke went to me and not to her? Are they still friends? Are they more? What about Nico? What if they're secretly seeing each other and her actual boyfriend still thinks that her full devotion and love is still with him? What if Luke just brought back more memories that got Thals weak? What if…? "Thalia Grace, I swear to God if you don't tell me what he said this instant, I will personally bring my boyfriend into this."

"Look, he just asked if we want to get together for coffee. I told him that I was going to think about it and he said that maybe it would be best if we would go back to the past, before he turned against us."

My heart froze. All my fears finally came true. I couldn't stand seeing another break-up, especially if one of the people in the relationship was Nico Di Angelo. What if they would never talk to each other again? And he's known for holding grudges. No, Luke couldn't possibly ask her when he knows perfectly well that she has a boyfriend, when she's in a perfectly healthy relationship. "He- he did?" I gulped visibly.

"Yeah," she seemed rather calm about this… "I was just thinking about it, that's all."

"What does Nico think?"

Thalia looked at me, a little sadly. "He thinks that I should do what I think is right. He doesn't want me to go but if Luke was as important to me as he thinks he is, then he would."

"What do you think is right?"

"That's the problem. I want to see Luke, I really do but I'm afraid that it would reignite the feelings that I forgot that I had. What if it goes a little too far? Nico and I are already having such a good relationship. He trusts me enough not to do anything stupid but I don't think I trust myself just as much. I just can't imagine myself with him as easily as I imagine myself with Nico."

I said nothing. I didn't know what to say. This was probably the first time where I can't decide which is better for all of us or which choice would affect the least lives. "Look, if you really want to see him, then you should but if you're scared that Thalico would break-up, then don't. It's as easy as that."

"No, it's not. What if I want both?"

"Thalia, follow your heart. Trust your instincts. Do what you _need _to do."

She looked sad, "Dammit Luke, why do you have to make it so complicated?" my best friend cursed loudly, enough to be heard by the entire beach.

In about ten minutes, she began to relax, her eyes turning to the normal shade of blue. "Enough of me. How about you?"

What do I tell her? I swore to Percy that I will never give her a hint about what happened to us but she made this entire confession in front of me and I couldn't help but feel the least bit guilty.

"I know you're hiding something, Annabeth. I can see it in your eyes."

I was hesitant but I brushed all my hair to the side, exposing the mark to air for the first time in so many hours. Her eyes widened, her face contorting to surprise and a tint of disgust. "How the hell did you get that?" she demanded, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"It was an accident. Percy didn't really mean to make it happen."

"But how?"

She was making this harder than it should be. "We snuck out in the beach, kissed plenty of times, and he just went there."

"And you didn't do anything to stop it?" I shook my head, guilty.

So, as I predicted, she started lecturing me about the importance of keeping my innocence and that we should be very careful with how we're going to treat each other? Inside, there was some part of me that actually wanted to laugh at Thalia for acting like this. "Annabeth, were you lying about not being a virgin anymore? You know, with Rachel?"

If it wasn't for how she looked, I would have told her something that wasn't true. But there was something about how her eyes were shining that told me that I had no choice but to. What if Percy gets mad at me? What if he doesn't talk to me anymore? What if Thalia would get it wrong and call me something I'm not? I sighed and looked at her in the eye, "No." It was a simple answer to a not so simple question but how I said it made it a little more complicated than it should be.

"I knew you weren't." she stared at the ocean, "But why did it take this long for you to say this?"

"We were afraid that you'd get mad."

"You're right about that but you two are the people in charge of the relationship. When you knew that you were ready, then you were. I can't change the past, as much as I want to."

The answer shocked me. I never thought that she would ever say something. This was probably too vulgar for her to even think off but she did. "I can't believe you just said that." I gasped exasperatedly, hoping she would get why my reaction was as it is.

Thalia nudged me on the shoulder but chuckled, shaking her head. For a long time, I felt like there was nothing wrong, that Luke's visit was just a nightmare that my boyfriend woke me up from, that the hickey wasn't a bad thing. We acted as if none of those even happened and that it was a normal day with her, talking and laughing. It felt as if we were kids once again, carefree and unafraid of reality. *Sigh*. I miss those times.

Percy came about half an hour later (but it only seemed like three minutes to me). I had to say goodbye to my best friend since I'm going to spend the rest of my time today with my boyfriend. I smiled at the idea, reaching out just to tie my hair into a ponytail. He looked at me with raised eyebrow but I knew he has the answer for that unspoken question. "You told her?" he voiced

"I had no choice." He nodded in understanding before carrying my bridal style the rest of the walk back. I whined all the way, complaining that I have two feet of my own and knew how to walk properly. Well that and the fact that everyone was staring at us with wide eyes. This was one of the things I've always wanted to avoid and now, all my work went to waste. But I have to admit that some part of me did enjoy being in Percy's arms.

"What did she say?" Seaweed Brain asked as he placed me gently on the sofa, my head on his lap.

"That we're in charge of this relationship and we're free to do whatever we want. She just wants us to be careful."

"Well that doesn't sound like Thalia at all." I chuckled and kissed the palm of his hand, his five fingers, and then his wrist. "We're leaving the day after tomorrow."

My gaze moved to his eyes. "I don't want to go."

There was something about how I said it that made me a little giddy. I know that sooner or later, we would have to go back to schoolwork or as Thalia sums it, her high school hellhole.

"Whatever this is about, I'd rather you leave me out of it." I heard someone say from the other room. "Plus, Trav, it's practically your fault."

Finally, the speakers revealed themselves to us, proving that they were Travis and Katie arguing about something that I will never understand. I decided that I just ignore them and focus on how my boyfriend was sucking at my neck as if he wanted to give me _another _mark. "Percy" I moaned, shaking my head vigorously. I already have one hickey to worry about, I can't handle another one.

"Don't worry," he whispered to my skin, his eyes glistening mischievously. "I won't."

He smiled at me and placed light kisses on my face, pressing his lips insistently on mine just to get them moving. And I closed my eyes at the sensation, unable to describe how perfect it felt. I didn't think about the possible signs that my friends are probably videotaping this at the moment, nor did I think about how he would feel again this time. I wanted this last, just a single kiss that would make me feel lightheaded.

"We should really make a rule about PDA's." Thalia sighed and I laughed, pulling away from him. He pouted at first, looking like the most adorable thing on earth, before flashing me a knowing grin that made me blush to a shade redder than a tomato's.

"If we have to follow it then you have to, too." My best friend glowered at me but agreed, shaking my hand with hers.

So, for the rest of the day, we watched each other, intent on making this rule work. The punishment was fifty bucks per minute and I don't have money so I refused to give in to my desires that included those perfect, well sculptured lips of his on mine. I found myself lacking oxygen when I realized that I was fantasizing about him again, groaning as I picked up a random magazine on the table just to distract myself. "Whoever gives in first has to pay double." Travis announced.

If we're going to pay double, then kissing for ten minutes would cost us one thousand dollars. "I hate you, Stoll." I hissed under my breath, enough for him to hear.

"Love you too, Anna." He teased, a smirk permanently plastered to his face.

In a matter of seconds, we were all laughing like we all did before: alive and genuine. When they weren't looking, Percy would give me soft pecks on the cheek and smile when I realized that they were staring at something else, at someone else. "Annabeth if I tell you not to panic, will you?"

My grip tightened on the loveseat. "What is it?"

"Look behind you."


	26. Chapter 26

I never knew my heart could beat as fast as it was at that very moment. I heard that voice just two days ago and I never thought that I would ever do again. Percy's arm was around me once again, ignoring the fact that this was technically a sign of public display of affection. "Luke?" I gasped, finally letting myself look at him: the same blue eyes, the same scar, the same blonde hair, the same face.

"What are you doing here?" the look on my boyfriend's face was just as intimidating as the look on the other man's face, probably even more.

"I came for them"

"They don't want to be with you." This was Nico now, standing protectively in front of Thalia and coincidentally right beside Percy.

He frowned, "You speak for them now?"

"No, they don't." Thalia placed a hand on his shoulder, "But we're not going with you."

Before I could even speak, I wasn't beside Seaweed Brain anymore. Instead, Luke was holding me by the arm right beside him with his grip as tight as a vise. Percy stood up abruptly, "Luke, stop." I groaned, "It hurts."

"You can't take her or Thalia. They belong here. You don't and I want you out of my house." This was said with so much force that even I shook in fear that maybe he was going to hit me (and I'm really sure that he won't). My eyes were already shedding so much tears that I couldn't help but gasp every once in a while from the lack of oxygen.

Luke, for his part, took one step forward just to punch Percy on his face. Jason was ready to interfere when Nico held him back because all of us know that this was the fight that both of them were waiting for. "Annabeth," he said through gritted teeth, "Go to Thalia and stay there."

I nodded before taking Thalia's outstretched hand and she pulled me to her side, hugging me in a way that only she can. It was hard for both of us to see them so ready to throw punches at the other because we both care in a way that is very hard to distinguish from actual love. "Percy, Luke, please stop this. It's no use. Nothing will come of it."

"That's where you're wrong, Annabeth." The Luke standing in front of me wasn't the Luke I used to admire. It was filled with so much anger and violence that it surprised me. "I've been waiting for this moment ever since I realized that he liked you."

"This isn't you."

He laughed, cold and mean and heartless. "This is exactly me."

My eyes were forced to watch the horror in front of me, half-blind from the tears that I have shed. The other guys were ready to interfere, to stop the madness but they knew that whatever they're trying to do would be useless against people as stubborn as Percy and Luke. And Jason was close to ripping the pillow he was holding to half just to stop himself. The only person standing in his way was Nico and even he seemed to be having a hard time in controlling his body.

I knew it was wrong to say this but as I watched Percy dodge every single one of the other man's crazed attempts, I never saw him more beautiful than at that moment, almost dancing. He learned to fight from Luke so their ministrations were already very much expected so it was no use. But they kept at it.

A particular _crunch_ got me out of my thoughts. I refused to know who was mostly affected because it would never benefit me. Apparently, this was Nico's cue to finally pull them away. It was hard to do, seeing that he needs the help of Jason and Beck just to stop them from biting each other's faces off. "Please." It was my last plead and I really hope that it made a difference.

The dinner I ate last night was threatening to make a very dramatic reappearance when I saw my boyfriend's broken nose. My stomach has always been strong enough to handle situations like these but maybe because of my sensitivity and the absolute possibility that I would lose him just got the best of me and I was trying to keep myself from puking at his feet. Plus, that probably wasn't needed.

Other than the nose, there wasn't anything else. There were no bruises other than one on his cheekbone but that would probably heal in a few days, and the way that his eyes were shining when he saw me practically stated that he wasn't emotionally injured. "You didn't have to do that." I told him, lowering my head so that he couldn't see all the emotions that were finally settling from their former hurricane.

"I didn't have to but I need to." He said simply, placing too fingers on my jaw. "Plus, it was all worth it."

While Will Solace tended to his bruises and his nose, I held his hand. When I had the chance, I would look at Luke and give him a disapproving shake of the head. Much to my surprise, a small smile just appeared on his still handsome face and it infuriated me. How dare he smile when Percy was probably going to lose too much blood than is necessary!

"Come with me." I growled at him, my eyes flashing with so much anger.

The moment we stepped out of the house, he pushed me against the nearest tree. "Why are you with him?" he whispered to my ear and I shivered. "You can do so much better."

I was transfixed by his words, finding myself staring at those blue eyes I once found attractive. His face was so close to mine that I could fully examine the scar running from his right eye to his jaw. "Why is that?"

"Because, Annabeth, you're beautiful and smart and kind and brave. Why are you with him?"

"I love him."

He laughed out loud. "You loved me too."

"Once, when you didn't turn into this monster" You could already hear the venom that I was intending so much to put. "What happened to you Luke?"

He didn't answer. Instead, his lips were on mine, moving in a way I never thought he would ever do. But I didn't kiss him back. Of course not! Why should I? I've already have everything that I need from my perfect boyfriend. I can't possibly ask for more than that. But I also learned not to push him away. So I let him finish, holding as still as a statue as he attacked my lips with his. "I know you can do so much better than that, Annie."

"Yeah but you don't deserve it." I found myself saying.

He didn't let me go because he was kissing me again, this time soft and slow, very much like Percy's. And I instinctively wrapped both of my arms around his neck, getting used to the new feeling. I knew it was wrong but I've always found myself curious on how kissing someone like Luke would be like even though there was something about how it was done that made me uncomfortable. This was the guy who I once treated as a brother, the guy I once loved, the guy who changed so much that I didn't know him anymore. And this wasn't my boyfriend; this wasn't how Percy would kiss me. And I knew that I would regret doing this, considering that I could talk him out of this in the first place."Stop!" I gasped, pushing him away.

"Why? Afraid that your little boyfriend might find out?"

"Yes! No! I don't know. Luke, this isn't what I wanted." I cried out, filled with obvious pain. "I never wanted this."

"Oh don't lie to me, Annabeth."

I just shook my head again and grabbed the nearest branch, pulling myself up. "I loved you as a brother. Maybe there was a time when I did like you more than that but you changed. I don't know you anymore."

Since I refused to look at my boyfriend, I climbed up using that tree, entering my balcony with ease. And I sobbed, wiping my lips over and over again until all I could taste was my blood. He deserves better than me. I was a cheater. I kissed someone else when he was willing to give his life up for me. It felt as if my heart weighed more than a thousand pounds, my chest feeling heavier than it should be as my breathing turned erratic. But I refused to recognize how my lungs were performing because I deserved it. My eyes hurt but I didn't care. "I'm sorry." I repeated over and over again, to no one in particular. "I'm so sorry."

He found me about half an hour later, running over to my side worriedly. "Wise Girl?" he asked.

But I just said those two words again, the only words he needed to hear just for him to realize that I have done something wrong. "It's not your fault." It was automatic for him but it didn't work this time.

"Yes it is!" I screamed at his face, falling to his arms as I cried and cried and cried on his shoulder. "Percy, Luke kissed me and I kissed him back and… and… I'm so sorry."

He froze for a good thirty seconds but melted, rubbing my back. "It's not your fault." He told me, placing me on his lap as he rocked me back and forth like a baby.

When I looked at the face of the man I trust, I realized that he was sincere. His face contorting to kindness, still marked with all those bruises but I never thought that he would ever look so perfect. Those beautiful sea green eyes were staring at me, telling me that it was alright and that he wasn't mad and that he understood. But I couldn't stop apologizing, seeing that it was the only thing I could do. "I love you, Percy. Only you." He smiled but didn't say anything else. He didn't need to.

"You should rest. It's been a long day and you need it."

I nodded hesitantly before letting him carry me to the bed, placing a soft kiss on my lips that was filled with obvious love. "Go to sleep, my Annabeth." He told me smoothly, "And when you wake up, I'll be here." And for the first time on that hour, I smiled.

It was morning when I woke up, seeing that I slept at about six already. And true enough, Percy was beside me, his arms wrapped protectively around my waist. I turned just to see him, looked at every single feature of his face. He has always been cute when he slept, looking like the angel who fell down from heaven just to help me through my life. My fingers unconsciously started tracing his jaw, running my thumb over his untouched lips, grazing lightly on his eyelids. "I wish that we could be together forever." I told myself.

"Don't worry," he mumbled lightly, startling me as he kissed my fingertips. "We will."

We didn't talk about Luke. We didn't talk about my kiss. We didn't talk about the fight they had the day before. The topic was avoidable but every time I look at his face, I would hear that crack and the hiss of pain. My friends didn't know what I did but they knew that something happened when I brought him outside. Thalia could see it in how I looked at Percy, the guilty feeling still lingering in my features. But every time she would ask, I would lie or if not, I'd change the subject. I'm not very comfortable in talking about it, even now.

Percy refused to take me out of his sight. The only time he would give me my privacy was when I'm going to the bathroom and even that comes rarely. Some girls may hate the fact that their boyfriends are following them around but I was grateful for his patience and devotion to the promise he made. _I will never break-up with you._ He would go to the ends of the earth before he would ever consider breaking this. And that got me guiltier than I already was.

The PDA rule was ignored because we realized that we can't really help ourselves especially when we want something. Percy and I made-out a lot in every single place that you can find. And he would tell me how much he loves me and I would apologize over and over again for what I did in the first place. He told me, rather fiercely, that Luke was the one who initiated it and that I just got carried away. He even blamed himself for not being there but I told him never to say that again.

It was the day before we leave when I realized that his nose has fully recovered, looking the same as it had before and I was glad that I don't have to give my other schoolmates more proof in believing about the fight they had. Apparently, there were rumors spreading around about them seeing me with another guy but, even though I knew that it was perfectly true, they did make some modifications.

"I can't believe that we're already supposed to go tomorrow." Nico sighed, wrapping a tentative arm around his girlfriend.

"Wait, tomorrow's a Friday, right?" my boyfriend suddenly said, sitting up straighter than usual.

I raised an eyebrow at this. "Yeah," I answered, "What's the difference?"

The smile on his face was different from the usual smiles he possessed. This one was mischievous but genuine at the same time and there was a hint of a smirk there. In the many years I have known him, this was only the second time wherein I saw that look on his face. And it _always _meant that he was up to no good. "We can stay here for the weekend."

There was silence for an entire minute. Everyone was staring at him as if he just came from another planet. I have considered this every once in a while but there may be so many consequences to the unprecedented change of plans. "It is possible but don't you think that someone will notice if we're not on the bus or something?" I said, being the logical person that I am.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just make some excuse. Plus, we need our privacy. Don't you think this week has been completely useless because you feel as if someone's always watching you?"

Sadly, he was right. "Fine but just because we need time together." Silena smiled at the last word before grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her to the kitchen, probably to talk about something I'll know about in sooner or later.

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	27. Chapter 27

It was Saturday morning when my brain made this very important realization. "Oh my god, we don't have to worry about Rachel!" I squealed, bouncing up and down on the bed. I knew I was over reacting but what's a girl supposed to do when your boyfriend's stalker was technically out of the way? This is probably the only time they get to spend together without the fear of getting caught.

"You are way too happy." He chuckled. "But I think I know why."

He kissed me with all the strength he could manage, lips moving with mine in perfect sync. And I couldn't stop smiling because this was the only kiss I would ever want, filled with so much love and passion and affection. "You're beautiful." He breathed, sucking at my bottom lip until it bruised. "And I love you"

"Love you, too." I replied with equal sincerity.

We never left the bed until it was lunchtime. No one dared bother us, knowing that we were in a barely visible relationship crisis that we're trying to get past as easily as possible. I was glad that I had friends like them, friends who understand when I'm hurting, friends who are willing to go through the most painful experiences just for me, and friends who would think of me as someone important even when I know perfectly well that I wasn't.

Each kiss I received from him was better than the last and I knew it was only him who would ever make me feel this way. Whenever I recall that specific moment, trapped between the weight of the tree and the weight of Luke, I shed a single tear out of pure guilt and pain. He would tell me over and over again that it was never my fault, that he was supposed to be the one punished and never me. And I would shake my head, muttering my reason until it was the only thing I knew how to say.

My only reassurance of his unwavering presence was of his usual lingering touches, his usual soft kisses, his constant questioning on how I was coping with how we are. Every time he would do so, it only made me feel guiltier. He needed someone who will be fully loyal to him, just as he was fully loyal to me. He needed someone who would take care of him without hesitation. He needed someone who was as perfect as he was. And I wasn't that someone.

I made this realization when we were lounging on the loveseat, my head on his chest and a hand clenched on the soft fabric of his shirt. He was watching me, examining my every move. The smile on his face was still very much visible but it was too kind, too understanding for me. "Stop that!" I demanded, taking a deep breath. My tears were now shed, after holding them off for already so long.

"What?" he asked in confusion

"Stop looking at me like that. I don't deserve it, okay?"

The way his smile faded and his dazzling green eyes hardened surprised me in a way I never expected. He was so calm before and I felt worse than better. I didn't intend on making him feel bad about himself. That was the last thing I wanted to do. "Of course you do. Annabeth, where did this come from?"

"Never mind that. You need someone better than me, Perce. I _cheated _on you and you're not even mad. I doubt you feel the same way as you did before."

My heart stopped. Did I just say that? "Of course I do. Why are you acting like this? I love you, Wise Girl. Out of all the girls I've been with, you're the only one who gave me this feeling."

I shook my head viciously. "I know that but…" What do I have to say just to get him to forget about me? "I don't feel the same way anymore." It was a lie, of course it was but the way I said it made it sound so realistic that even he nearly fell off his seat. I loved him with everything I am, with my entire well being. I don't know what I'm going to do without him but he needed someone better. I'd rather suffer the pain now than to feel it later on, when we're already married and then I'm not giving him what he deserves.

"What?" he choked out, sounding so devastated. With the many promises we made, this was the only one that has to be broken, for the sake of his happiness.

"You heard me." My hands are in fists now, wanting to just run away from this place forgotten. I didn't want to see him so hurt like this.

Percy grabbed my shoulders, shaking me angrily. "We should think about this, Annabeth. What did I do wrong? I can change. Please, just don't…" This was one of the rare times that I have seen Percy Jackson cry, real tears in his eyes and the image was just so strange that it got me silently begging for him not to.

"It's for the best." I told him, pressing my palm gently on his cheek. "Plus, you deserve better than me."

He met my gaze and held it, persistent and stubborn. "I love you" he said finally, after an entire ten seconds of silence. "If you're going to break this off, just please remember that I always will." He kissed the top of my head softly, almost wistfully before walking away.

Oh God, what have I done?

I didn't see him for the rest of the day. I didn't see him for the entire week. Thalia said that he would go home himself so I had to ride with Beck and even that was awkward because I knew that they want to ask me about Percy but couldn't. Ever since the break-up, I never felt emptier than I already did. In school, I would constantly watch his locker but find that no one was there. At home, I never see him. And every night, I would cry myself to sleep, thinking of how I made a single mistake grow worse.

Two weeks after, I never went out of my room, locking myself in as I cried and cried and cried, uncaring of who might hear me. I thought that it would be impossible for us not to see each other, seeing that we live in the same house but true enough, I never did see him. Never once. I could feel that my best friend was getting worried about me.

_Best friend._

The word stuck to me. There were so many promises that were broken and being best friends forever was one of them. I hated myself for even considering breaking up with him. We were meant to be together and having to even think that he was much better off with someone else was the biggest mistake of my life. Everything about me was molded by him and now that he wasn't here, I felt like I wasn't me. I could feel the emptiness threatening to swallow me whole and the only thing stopping it from doing so was the only hope that the logical side of me would come crawling back to him.

It was a Monday when I finally saw a glimpse of him. Percy was sitting on the usual patch of grass that we occupied whenever we have nothing to do. He was wearing nothing more than white cotton pants and with the lack of clothing, you can see that he wasn't taking care of himself any more. His eyes were sad and bloodshot, his hair limp and hanging in his eyes, the usual glow of his skin was no more and was replaced by a sickly aura, weak emotionally and physically. And I knew that it was my fault as to why this happened.

"Percy." His name gave a sweet aftertaste as I said it, missing how the word sounded on my lips, resonating with a sound of absolute longing

From the distance, you could see how he closed his eyes and the single tear that escaped. My heart clenched at the sight, wanting no more than to run to him and embrace him until all the pain is gone. "I'm so sorry." I choked out, shaking my head. I knew he couldn't hear me but I just had to get it out.

"I'm no good for you." I heard him say, "I was just glad that you saw it earlier than I did because I just realized that I'm no use. You can be with someone better but aren't. So why did you choose to love me?" He paused, taking a shaky breath. My photo in his hand crumpled as he held it too tightly. And when he found that the portrait didn't answer him, he sighed. "Annabeth… I can't do this anymore."

Wet trails were glistening on my cheeks, unable to control the natural flow as I fell on my knees. "No!" I found myself saying. "No, Seaweed Brain, it's not like that."

He heard this and turned his head to my direction, eyes wide at how this was affecting me much more than it was to him. I didn't dare move from my place, afraid of how he might react and he just stared at me, just watching. "I still love you, Percy. I was lying when I told you that I didn't anymore. I felt guilty about what I did with Luke and I thought you deserved better. I didn't think that it would hurt this much. I love you and I want you back. I need you back."

Percy said nothing but moved, standing up and heading towards me. I was preparing myself for a slap or something else that I deserved but he did pull me until I was vertical again and hugged me tighter than he usually does. And we stayed there, crying in relief as we tried to search for the other's warmth, wishing that we could have time to catch up on what we missed. And I couldn't help but smile as his salty sea scent filled my nose. "I'm so sorry." I repeated for his sake, looking at his once again bright green eyes.

"Apology accepted" was the only thing he said before our lips were locked in a searing kiss that was bound to happen sooner or later. My hands couldn't stop moving, trying to remember the feel of his soft skin in my fingertips. "I love you." He nuzzled his nose to the base of my neck.

And I repeated it without hesitation but with great sincerity, kissing him over and over again until I couldn't breathe. And my heart was beating for someone again, keeping me alive because the love of my life needs me. "We can't let this happen again, Annabeth." He whispered teasingly to my ear as he placed kisses on the slope of my neck. "I'd die without you."

So, by 8pm, we made love until we couldn't move but we didn't care. Percy and I are together again. Stronger. Happier. Livelier. Oh we never felt more alive. He would whisper his unending love for me until his lungs forced him not too and I would say how much he means to me, say how guilty I was for keeping us apart, and for being overcritical when the time comes.

When the others found out that we were together again, for good now, they were planning a party. I told them that they shouldn't go through so much trouble but Silena insisted that this was much more important than anything else in history. And Percy would laugh at how seriously our friends were taking our relationship. I thought it was supposed to be us who were in charge of it. Why are they planning everything we do?

"Do you think we should stop them?" he asked as we lied on the bed, him fingering the strands of my hair. "Or do you think we need this party?"

I leaned on my elbows, moving my face close enough so that our noses were touching. "What do you think?"

"Well, I think it's important for them to realize that we're still together after all but I don't want them to make it so grand that they would start inviting movie stars. And trust me, that is pretty possible because Silena Beauregard has her connections."

"I'm just scared that she's going to go overboard again." I sighed, shaking my head as I remembered the last time she threw me a "simple gathering"

Percy chuckled, moving on top of me as he placed soft kisses on my cheekbone, holding me flush against him. He didn't say anything to reassure me but I didn't think he needed to. I knew that he missed me and he was probably hurting himself trying to forget what happened the past few weeks but we both understood how the separation made our relationship stronger, that we can't really live without the other and feeling as if the other half of our hearts weren't only broken but crushed. And when I think about this, a few tears would escape my gray eyes until he would wipe them away and whisper his love for me.

We were interrupted with Sally's call for lunch, having to race each other until we reach our destination which was the dinner table. And I smiled as the smell of barbeque wafted to my nose. Before I could even realize what he was doing, Percy already had an entire piece shoved in his mouth and I tried so hard not to laugh at how his cheeks bulged and how his parents were giving him discouraging looks.

It wasn't the first time that I tasted barbeque from the Jackson's but it was certainly the first time that I have finished three pieces. It was too good to be ignored and even Bella had sauce all over her mouth, mimicking how her brother's current state. And if it was possible, Percy was a lot worse than the three year old. So I sighed, shaking my head as I grabbed his napkin and waiting until he chewed the meat he was working on before wiping his lips with the napkin as if I was his mother. And I could already hear Poseidon trying hard not to laugh at how his son was being treated and how he specifically was whining like a child.

"Don't be so immature." I finally scolded him as I slapped his arm, placing the used napkin beside my glass. "You're sixteen."

He didn't say anything in reply. Instead, he just gave me a smile and kissed me wetly on the cheek. "You look so cute when you're mad at me." He whispered teasingly to my ear.

So, the entire afternoon was spent on him trying to make-up for the time we lost, never taking his lips off mine until we all needed to breathe oh so desperately. And we would kiss in every single corner in the house where Bella or his parents can't see us. And if my lungs failed to get sufficient oxygen, I won't care. As long as he was close to me, devoting himself to me only, I would die peacefully.

And that's exactly what I wanted.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.**

Summer came faster than I could remember. I didn't know that it was already finals until I'm finished with them all. And I was so glad that they didn't give us any homework to worry about because it was vacation. From school. They can't give us another reason to cram and trust me when I tell you that I am practically a professional on that sport.

Percy and I were packing rather quickly when we realized that we had to go back to the beach house, after forgetting the incident and giving it a small frown whenever we look back at it. But I never broke down anymore, seeing that he has forgiven me and told me that I wasn't supposed to apologize or feel guilty anymore.

Technically, I was the one who was packing. He was trying to clear something with Daisy, Katie's mom, and he was practically winning the argument. Since their family and Percy's family were already such close friends, they would allow their children to go anywhere with them. And, the only bad thing was that he got me distracted by being shirtless, sitting down on his bed with a cocky expression as I stared at him. "Could you please put a shirt on, Seaweed Brain?"

"We both know that you don't want that, Wise Girl."

"Shut up, Percy."

Instead of doing what I said, he stood up and headed over towards me, his eyes shining mischievously. And I gasped as I backed away from his hands, walking until I hit the wall. "Don't you dare." I've seen that face before and I'd rather kill myself than seeing it again.

But due to his inhuman strength, he quickly picked me up and brought me to the bed, dropping me the moment he did. "Perce, don't do anything you might regret." I pleaded

"Oh I'm not going to regret anything, dear Annie."

Before I could even think of my reply, his fingers were immediately on that one spot that made me react more than is needed. And I squirmed and screamed and pushed him off me, failing miserably. And I was laughing now, "Stop, please." I begged as he constantly tickled me. "Percy," I whined.

"Until you admit that you like seeing me like this."

And so I did. I hated that he knew how to manipulate me that easily and that I was helpless whenever he does that. And I punched him squarely on the stomach when he finally let me go, smiling triumphantly when I saw him wince in pain but other than that, he wasn't affected much so I readied myself for another blow that he easily blocked.

"You're not planning to kill me, are you?" he asked innocently, looking at me with those green eyes. "Because, when you do, you don't have anyone to kiss anymore."

True but I wasn't thinking about that. I was mad at him for making me admit something that I didn't want to say yet, even though it is written all over her face. So when I showed no interest on his last comment, he gave me a wicked smile and finally used his strength to trap me under his weight, his hands holding tightly to my wrist with my legs pinned with his. And I gasped at how close he was that when I leaned just a little bit further, we would have been in a deep make-out session.

I instinctively reached out and pressed the small of his back, hard, and he immediately let me go and moved as far away from me as possible. He hated it when I did that but he gave me no choice. He knew how much I hated being trapped under someone's weight. "You didn't." his breath was still hard, pain evident in his eyes and I felt bad for making him feel this way.

"I did. Now, let me finish packing." This got a smile from his face even though there were still goosebumps on his arms, reaching over to grab me by the waist and plant a small kiss on my cheek.

Surprisingly, I get to finish packing. It was actually a miracle because Percy was busy changing in the corner and I had a really good distraction in front of me but I opted to finish the job in hand. And after, we loaded all our bags in his car.

It was about three when we left the house, already on the road as I listened to my music. My boyfriend was watching the road, having to glance at me occasionally and I would see him smile that knowing smile. But he didn't say anything.

We pulled over at the driveway and he stopped the car, taking one longing glance at me. And I kissed him gently on the lips just to show him how much I cared. "Come on, they're probably there already." I told him

He agreed and opened the door, surprised to see that we were the only people there. You see, Thalia and Jason were going to pick up Piper and Nico in the process so they decided that they would just follow and we never really argued much. I wanted to be alone with him, even when it was just for a short time.

As the time passed, Percy decided that he would just start sketching, drawing the contour of my face, acting as if I didn't know what he was doing even when my cheeks were burning in embarrassment. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see that he was trying very hard not to smile, failing miserably at that. I didn't even know why I would bother trying to act as if I didn't care when he could already see right through me. "How does it look?" I asked instead, my eyes focused on the sketchpad in his fingers.

"Well, you've looked better." He teased lightly, handing me the paper.

I didn't understand why he said that I looked better when this is the best way to look at me. It caught the moment where I was look at him, my head tilted lightly to face him, a small smile plastered on my lips, gray eyes sparkling mischievously. "It's beautiful, Seaweed Brain." I told him honestly.

But he just shook his head, sighing. "There's something wrong with how the eyes look like. I didn't get to catch how it shines quite that perfectly."

"Percy, it is perfect." I told him, "And don't push yourself any more than you already do."

The party that we were planning for Piper was postponed due to the many things we have to worry about. That is why Silena and I are already talking like crazy about what we were going to do. Gladly, she has absolutely no idea that we were even planning her something as grand as a sixteenth birthday party when we already treating her as a queen herself on her birthday. But when that happened, I still haven't quite healed yet from the incident with Percy and I just want to spend every waking moment I have with him.

"Tonight? We can't do it tonight!" I whispered exasperatedly to my friend. "Do you know how hard it is to do that last minute? And she's going to be here the entire day to unpack. How do we pull something as big as a surprised belated Sweet Sixteen to her?"

Silena just giggled at the tone of my voice. "You worry too much, Annabeth. Trust me in this. We're going to make it successful. All we need is the help from your boyfriend and Jason."

And so, I did. I asked Seaweed Brain to help me and he agreed quite easily, even when he had to cancel his entire schedule for the day just for this specific reason. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, leaning lazily against a tree.

"We need you to help set up in the beach. Jason, try to keep Piper busy and make sure she doesn't go out. But don't make it too desperate that she would be suspicious." Silena ordered, already making her way through the piles of folding tables and lawn chairs

He was quite helpful when he wanted to be. In an hour, we were already done with the decorations, blue and white streamers hung gracefully from palm tree to palm tree, balloons of the same color forming a decent arch that was made to mark the entrance. A wooden podium that he specifically had to work on just for the band that Percy asked to perform (he's friends with the vocalist), and the tables and chairs were already set up that they were all facing the ocean.

We were busy hanging up the lights when Katie came to help with the food. She was forced to cater and I don't think she even wanted to be part of the stress-related work but since she was really close to Piper, she needed to be nice. "You did great, guys. I'm impressed." She commented when she saw the venue.

Percy jumped down from the table he was standing on, wiping the sweat dripping from his forehead with his arm. "Well, a lot of work has gone with it."

My heart pounded uncontrollably against my chest when I realized that he removed his shirt because it does a much better job absorbing than his forearm. "Why don't we just get this finished? I'm hungry." he mused lightly, sighing.

"You're always hungry, Seaweed Brain." My boyfriend laughed at this, placing a soft kiss on my cheek before climbing on top of the unsteady table just to get the job done. His eyes were so intent on making sure that those lights work and I'm pretty glad that he was serious enough to actually put his best efforts in this.

"You can rest, you know."I told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'll finish up."

"No, I'm fine." He said all too quickly. "Plus, it's been a really long time since I've done something like this."

I didn't dare argue with him but I was pretty worried that he might overexert himself like that last time. And that is something I don't want. But there must something that I can do to help him. He practically fixed everything and he actually said that I was a "supervisor" who oversees the entire operation. I felt useless. That's the only thing important.

Soon enough, he landed back beside me with a huge smile on his face, nodding at his handiwork. And when I went to check if it actually did work, the breath was knocked off my lungs. Because the sun was setting, the lights had this beautiful effect that made the entire thing look as if it was underwater. I don't know how it was possible but it was and it was to die for. "Oh God, Percy."

"Well, I do have to agree with Katie on this one. We did quite well."

Everything went smoothly from then on. The band came prepared and so we don't have to worry about that. Piper didn't have a clue on what was going on and so we don't have to worry about that either. And her parents and baby brother finally arrived with big smiles on their faces. Apparently, Tristan McLean, Piper's dad and infamous movie star, cancelled every single one of his appointments just to be here because he felt guilty that he wasn't there for her _actual _birthday.

"Wait, you just did all of this today?" Piper's mother, Allyson, said in disbelief.

"Yeah," I answered, "But it's mostly Percy."

The look on her face when she saw the entire thing made all the sweat and blood that we poured out actually mean something. She was awestruck, actually too stunned to believe that something like her birthday would be so important that my boyfriend nearly lost his finger, a story I will tell for another time. And the tears in her eyes were so very visible, rolling down her cheeks and dripping to the sand every second. "You didn't have to do this." She breathed, choking on her words as she hugged me tightly, hugged everyone tightly.

"You deserve a greater Sweet Sixteen, Piper." Her sister said, placing both hands on her shoulders. "Plus, you deserve something this beautiful."

Many minutes passed without anyone bothering to interfere. There was no Rachel. There was no Drew. There was no storm. There was nothing but clear starlit skies and calm ocean waves. The band was playing songs everyone liked, from Maroon 5 to Coldplay to The Script. There would be times when Piper would escape with Jason and you would eventually find them walking with fingers twined, just finding time to be alone. And I smiled at how happy she was. She deserved to be happy. She needed to be happy.

Since I changed from the clothes I wore decorating, I ended up with a white strapless dress mid-thigh and black leggings that I knew would be perfect for the occasion. To ward off the cool sea breeze, I paired the attire with Percy's black hoodie that I keep on forgetting to return to the owner.

Will Solace decided to take over when a specific song resurfaced in his mind. He wanted this to be Piper's present and he just didn't find the time to give it to her. He actually asked Jason to help and he never argued when he stepped onto the podium, a smile on his face and a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

_You would not believe your eyes  
If ten million fireflies  
Lit up the world as I fell asleep_

_'Cause they'd fill the open air  
and leave teardrops everywhere  
you'd think me rude  
But I would just stand and stare_

The harmony in their voices was unbelievably beautiful. Percy eventually had to join them because he was forced to and when his perfect voice resonated in the speakers, I knew that the night would be perfect.

_I'd like to make myself believe  
That planet Earth turns slowly  
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay  
Awake when I'm asleep  
'Cause everything is never as it seems_

_'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs  
from ten thousand lightning bugs  
as they tried to teach me how to dance_

_A fox trot above my head  
a sock hop beneath my bed  
a disco ball that's just hanging by a thread_

I never noticed how Piper might be reacting about this, having three of the most attractive guys in school sing a single song for her, one of them devoting his entire life for her that he risked his reputation so many times just to keep her from being bullied when they were children. And I sighed in delight when I noticed that she was actually trying hard not to make a scene by crying in front of the many people _again._

_I'd like to make myself believe  
That planet earth turns slowly  
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay  
Awake when I'm asleep  
'Cause everything is never as it seems  
When I fall asleep_

_Leave my door open just a crack  
(Please take me away from here)  
'Cause I feel like such an insomniac  
(Please take me away from here)  
Why do I tire of counting sheep  
(Please take me away from here)  
When I'm far too tired to fall asleep_

It has been so long since I've heard his voice that melodious. He's always been so talented but has always been so afraid to show it to everyone, having to watch other people mock him for something he was actually really good at. I wanted to show those who bullied him that he was perfect, the only person who made this life on earth so devastatingly breathtaking. And my eyes started to water at the thought, knowing that he was the reason why everything that I look at right now was beautiful. It was him. It was always him.

_To ten million fireflies  
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes  
I got misty eyes as they said farewell_

_But I'll know where several are  
If my dreams get real bizarre  
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar_

_I'd like to make myself believe  
That planet Earth turns slowly  
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay  
Awake when I'm asleep  
'Cause everything is never as it seems  
When I fall asleep_

Will Solace never disappoints. Being friends with him meant that you have to accept everything that is him and he worked hard just to make that perfect. And I know at this moment that it paid off. He's always been one of the most well-known musicians in our class and seeing him play with such grace and fluidity made me even regret doubting him of his skill. He was born to entertain and I don't dare question that again.

_I'd like to make myself believe  
That planet Earth turns slowly  
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay  
Awake when I'm asleep  
'Cause everything is never as it seems  
When I fall asleep_

_I'd like to make myself believe  
That planet earth turns slowly  
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay  
Awake when I'm asleep  
Because my dreams are bursting at the seems_

As the song came to an end, she finally decided that she needed to thank them for the wonderful experience, running towards the stage and pulling the man she loves with a hug that could kill a normal person. Her sobs and cries of joy, her quiet mutters, her inaudible whimpers, every single sound she made was heard throughout the crowd. I have never seen her so at the loss for words that she would rather show them than say them. And now, I know that doing this was probably the best thing I have done for her.

**Please Review!**


	29. Author's Note

**I'm very sorry for not updating for a really long time but I honestly have no more ideas. Please, share your thoughts and tell me what you think will happen. I need something. Anything! Help me in this and maybe we don't have to handle one murder with me as the victim. I accept it if you just hunt me down but it's not my fault.**

**The plan so far is that they were bored one day and that the others came. Jason challenged Percy to a game of beach volleyball. I still don't know who wins.**

**Please, help me. Review!**


	30. Chapter 29

**Okay, so it's been a really long time since I updated and I know this is shorter than what I usually write but it would mean a lot if you tell me what you want and what I should change.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson!:)**

Many people may say that I'm too smart for my own good, that I overanalyze things easily, that I just needed time to breathe whenever I'm too stressed out from a challenging Trig problem or a complicated blueprint that I wanted to finish in my past time but being with Percy may change their perspective about me.

Of course, there are times when I would bombard him with facts, say every single thing I know to his face just to tease him. But there are also times when he leaves me speechless that I don't even know how I ended up in that situation. He has too many tricks up his sleeves and I'm the person he's going to live his entire life with so I'm the one he's going to surprise. I barely even knew he was artistic until I saw it, or that he can sing until I heard it. And now, I found out that he can play the guitar. Good.

It was a sunny Monday morning, three days after the party and we were lazing around the house, unable to find a single thing interesting to do. Due to the humidity, we were all too hot to do anything and even breathing was difficult. Michael Yew arrived to our house with his half-brothers, Lee and Will; because even they were bored and found that the only people who could truly entertain them were in this beach house. Apparently, Will brought his guitar for something to play with and having to practically brag about his skills to every person he knows during the party, I guess he needed another thing to do with it.

"Hey, Perce. Can you play?" he asked suddenly, looking at the man beside me with an expectant look in his eyes.

"I'm not really sure." Percy answered honestly, taking the instrument from our friend's grasp and placing it lightly on his lap, me having to lean away just a bit to give him some space.

He checked the tune of each string, having to check twice on the third one before adjusting it a little until the sound was perfect. He took three deep breaths before having to fix his fingers until they were on the right place and started strumming, a song that I can easily distinguish as "Hey Soul Sister" by Train.

His hand was a blur against the strings, smiling as if he missed the feel of an actual acoustic guitar within his grasp. "Where'd you learn to play?" I asked, not quite as surprised as the others but still very dumbfounded

"My grandfather was an expert with instruments so he taught me how to play when I was a kid and I guess it just stuck with me all through these years."

"Grandfather from what side of the family specifically?"

"Mom's side."

And I almost laughed at the idea. His talent mostly came from his mother's side whereas his love for water came from his father's. His parents were perfect already, having every single attribute that would surely make the perfect son and now, the proof was right in front of me, playing one of my most favorite songs with a smile that could be compared to Apollo himself.

There was something about how the others were looking at him that made him a little uncomfortable. Of course, most of us have known each other ever since we were in diapers and almost sixteen years of knowing him, he still managed to surprise them. Percy didn't look like a musician, or a singer, or an artist. Of course, people would believe that he was a swimmer because it was seen in his lean, muscular figure but the fact that he was any of the others mentioned, they would probably laugh at me before they would even consider it. After all, Seaweed Brain is pretty clumsy.

Finally, Thalia relaxed, followed by her brother, and the rest soon after. Well, everyone _except _for the Stolls who still seemed as if my boyfriend's talent was the worst thing they have seen today. But Percy merely chuckled, unable to keep it to himself.

As the song ended as abruptly as it started, I stared at him in wonder, finding it really hard to look at him like I did after seeing him play that well. He was perfect and I wasn't. He handed the guitar back to Will who took it gratefully, already playing an improvised solo that he probably just thought of. "Okay, Percy. Tell me what else you can do." I demanded, placing both hands on his shoulders. "You've been keeping so many things from me."

"Well, I do have this sport, other than swimming, that my dad told me I was pretty good at." He mused, chuckling lightly as he stared outside. "I tried it once with Jason and Nico and even they surrendered so easily."

I shot the two named men my best menacing glare just to get them talking but even they looked afraid to speak of it, pleading to Percy not to continue his sentence. "What is it?"

There was a very dramatic pause before he copied my position, two hands on my shoulders. "Beach volleyball"

My jaw fell to the ground. I've seen Nico play before, when we were still thirteen and it made him look as if the sport was made for him. He said that he's always been interested in volleyball as a child and he grew up learning. And now, you realized that he wasn't the best after all. That the best was also that one person I couldn't even beat in swimming. "Wait, Nico Di Angelo lost in his own game?"

"No, I didn't say that he lost but I did manage to get us tied. I don't think he liked it when that happened. And trust me, he may be slow in the water but he's actually quite impressive on land."

"Ah, but land's my element, Perce." Nico teased lightly, laughing.

"So he still won?" it was a stupid question, knowing well that he already said the answer just ten seconds ago.

"I didn't say that either" he answered simply, brushing a lose strand of my blonde hair and tucking it behind my ear, making me feel strangely feminine.

There was silence for a while. And absolutely no sound was heard except for the usual breathing and tapping of feet because of the ADHD's sudden overwhelming power over us. We can keep quiet but we can never stand still. Maybe it was for the best, that we were always so alert and active in times when we _need _to be and times that we don't. It was actually pretty annoying, having to live through everything with so many flaws that made your view of the world different from a normal person's. But we endured that. I mean, look at Percy now and how perfect he's become.

It was Jason who finally broke it. "So, Percy, rematch?" he asked rather innocently, a crooked smile on his face. Jason and I have always had a rough relationship. When I first met him, I never trusted him. There was just this very odd sensation in my body that controlled the rationality that I would usually rely on whenever I would see the regality that is him. He was different from Percy, very different, but the similarities were uncanny. And right at this moment, they shared the same amount of enthusiasm.

Of course, we couldn't argue with people as stubborn as them but I knew from the very start that this was going to last for a very long time. No one will admit that they lost until they actually did and Jason and Percy were too proud to back-out, especially when Piper and I were watching them intently. "Let's just get this done and over with, Grace." Seaweed Brain sighed as he held the ball, a playful gleam in his eyes.

"Then we're on the same page then, Jackson." They've always had a knack for not-so-friendly competition. They grew up wanting to know who was better and even when they can see that they were clearly balance, that there was actually no argument there, that they were fighting for nothing, they still want to continue with it.

Grover hesitantly blew the whistle, the sound screeching in my ears, loud enough to make me cover them just to protect that certain sense organ from total destruction. I rely on my hearing a lot, thank you very much. "Sorry," he apologized quickly and very sheepishly, placing the offending object away from his grasp.

It was Jason who scored the first point and that was only because Percy was distracted. But he eventually caught up, having to score twice for himself. And it was very impressive. His speed and agility was inhuman, almost making it look as if he was gliding on the sand.

And we cheered for the respective guys, me having to laugh at how desperate everyone was acting. But I couldn't really blame them. It was what we usually do when they were competing; especially something that was turning as good as this one. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him slide just to stop that stupid ball from hitting the sand. I was actually afraid that maybe he got injured or something because I didn't know what was under. Maybe there would be glass. Or rocks. Or a crab.

In the end, which was about ten minutes later, Percy won. Jason actually was left disappointed as he wiping the sweat from his brow. "That was much better than I expected, Jackson." He taunted with a small smile.

"You have way too low standards, Grace. Plus, just face it. I'm better than you!" This was said with a laugh so no one took it seriously. Even I didn't see anything that might lead to _another _fight between them.

In turn, Percy helped his cousin up and patted him lightly on the shoulder, feigning sympathy. It was actually really funny because of the glint in my boyfriend's green eyes. "That was absolutely amazing. I can't believe that it lasted that long. And you're not even that tired!" I shook him for effect, showing him the amazement that was present.

"Ah, but many years of sports taught me how to _not _get tired so easily." Just to prove his point to the not-so-innocent statement, he placed a soft kiss on my waiting lips.

They spent the rest of the day inside, too lazy and stubborn to even bother standing up from our place. After cleaning the small cut Percy received from that single mistake he made, we ate whatever Katie ate and I even managed to spend at least half an hour locked inside the library with nothing but my boyfriend and the books to accompany me.

It might not have been that eventful but it was honestly better than what I asked for. And we all stayed by the front porch to bid Will Solace and Lee Fletcher farewell and for keeping us company. They even said that they were going to come back very soon but this time, it would be a surprise. I was actually quite scared for when that happened. If they're coming back without us knowing, then they would probably bring something, or someone, who would bring me to an early grave.

Then again, a lot of other things might happen before that.

**Please Review!**


	31. Chapter 30

**I am so very sorry for this late update. Please forgive me. I'm already trying to work on that. **

It was a Friday night when he called.

There was actually nothing much to do than sit inside and watch a movie that I specifically discouraged out of the violence and "scenes". They didn't listen, as always, but they soon regretted it when something came up that caused Grover to shut the thing off. I laughed at their faces then, bragging about how I was always right. They just rolled their eyes at me almost simultaneously. We have been hanging out for _way_ too long.

Percy even managed to put me on his shoulder to keep me from doing my "In your face" dance to them. They have seen it more than is healthy and my boyfriend was pretty smart to stop me. I swear, if I do it more constantly than I should, one of their heads is going to explode.

We were sitting on our bed, legs tangled and arms around each other. It was a position I was greatly acquainted to so I didn't complain as he placed open mouthed kisses on my collarbone. I even played with his hair when it moved to my stomach, unable to contain that small smile when he blew against my skin, making this loud farting noise. "That's just disgusting, Percy." I shook my head.

"It may be disgusting but it is funny." He crawled up my body and placed a kiss on my nose. "Plus, you like it."

I even laughed at this one. "Whatever told you that I did?"

He was about to respond with some snarky comment when my phone vibrated. We both groaned and I made the move to pick it up but Percy just had to steal it first, mocking me by waving that small gadget on my face. Me, being faster than him, easily took it back and answered the caller on what seemed to be the sixth ring.

My mistake was to not check the ID first.

His voice caught me off-guard. It was very familiar but it still sounded wrong. "Hi, beautiful." He crooned, "How's life with the idiot?"

I froze. It was Luke. And he sounded drunk. I almost hung up when he stopped me with that unattractive sneer he was now accustomed to. "I know what you're planning to do, Annabeth, and don't even think about doing that." Seaweed Brain, seeing my expression, took the phone from my hands and talked to my personal hell by himself.

"What do you want, Castellan?" He growled and I flinched slightly when I realized that he was very close to growling. Of course, in any other times, it would have been totally hot but now, I was suddenly totally afraid for Luke. The last time I saw him, Percy was too surprised to show _that _specific side of him I've been trying to avoid for so long now. I don't want a used to be friend die so easily.

From the other line, I could almost see the blonde smiling. I knew that he was just pushing my already mad boyfriend and if they didn't stop this now, I would be begging on my knees in order to stop him from doing something he would regret very, very soon. "I'm pretty sure I called to hear a girl's voice, Jackson. But I guess this will do. This just isn't the girl's voice I was hoping for."

My eyes widened. The man would be totally crazy to say those things to him! People were known to die out of a beat-up and this was no exception. I don't even know if I should do the right thing and prevent this. Luke Castellan deserved to be punished. "I'm going to repeat what I said. _What do you want_?"

It wasn't his words that scared me. It was how he said it. The intensity inside them was just too much for me and I don't think I could stand this. If it were up to me, I would have just thrown my phone to the other end of the room to get this done and over with. Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy to get away from someone as skilled as him. "I thought I made it clear. God, can you get any more stupid? I want to talk to her. After all, I know she wants that too. We do have that connection that you would never have."

"He's lying." I choked out, grabbing my boyfriend's hand and immediately feeling the spark that never left. "I love you. Seeing you and touching you even when it's just like this makes me want to spontaneously combust." Percy bit his lip to keep himself from making any unnecessary sound.

He strode over to my direction and kissed the top of my head, wrapping his free hand around my waist and pulling me unbelievably closer. "Now, I want you to put this phone down and hang up. I don't want to hunt you down and kill you myself. Plus, when I do get the chance to act on it, I won't be able to see Annabeth for the rest of my life. I don't want that and you don't want to die. So please, just… leave us alone. If she does get tired of me, then I won't force her to stay with me."

My grip on him tightened at the last statement. We both knew that we could never be separated because we would both die without the other. It was proven after such a long time of abstinence from his lingering touches and soft kisses. I whimpered involuntarily at the idea. "Fine. Fine! I get it. But when she dumps you, and I'm a hundred percent sure that she will, she's going to come crawling back to me. I'm going to wait, Percy Jackson, so don't be surprised when you see her looking much better with me than she does with you."

Before I could take my next breath, I heard the almost inaudible _beep… beep… beep _that signaled that he must have hung up. And when Percy was waken up of his reverie, he placed my phone on the bedside table and buried his face in my hair, cradling the back of my head and placing multiple kisses all over my face. And he breathed his love for me wherever his lips may reach, almost pleading that I would never leave him like before. I could almost imagine that when I do, I would find a letter in my mail saying that he killed himself in no more than a week. I cried on his shoulder.

"Never." I shook over every sob, causing him to sit on the floor and pull me to his lap. "Never. Never." This was what I chanted for almost ten minutes, reassuring him and myself at the same time.

If they were planning to break us apart, they need all the luck in the world to do so. Percy and I are stronger with each other and we are totally invulnerable. If we're going through this, we're going through this together.

He carried me towards the bed, seeing that I didn't have the strength to walk on my own. I guess my legs finally gave out on me. "You need to rest." He kissed my forehead lightly as I snuggled closer to him. "I love you, Wise Girl."

I smiled for the first time in almost an hour. "G'night Seaweed Brain. Love you, too."

I thought of how selfish those people are to think that we were happy without each other. If ever they do succeed in their plan, separating me and him, they would realize that we wouldn't be the people they think we are. I'm only happy because I know that I'm going to come home to Percy every day, sleep in his arms, with his warm breath tickling my neck and his soft skin and muscular figure blending over mine so easily.

Before I succumb to unconsciousness, I heard his melodious voice to my ear, almost a whisper. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you, Annabeth. You're my life. You've always been my life. If you go, you take everything I am with you. Please, stay with me forever."

To at least tell him that I heard, I pulled him closer and mouthed a few praises to his ear, some I didn't even remember because of how tired I was.

I was very glad when I finally let sleep take its course.

The morning sun blinded me momentarily as it beamed in between the closed curtains. To my side, Percy was still asleep with his mouth slightly open and traces of drool at the corner. I giggled at how adorable he is. Out of instinct, I pressed a soft kiss on his cheek and wiped his mouth with the blanket, making him smile at the gesture.

I was very distracted as I take my bath, thinking of what Luke said about waiting for me when I finally realize that Seaweed Brain wasn't the person I thought he was. It was actually quite annoying how they try so much to impress me or him and end up failing because they did everything wrong. Actually, it was only Percy who impressed me with his kindness and humility, even with his talent that deserves to be given more credit for. I chuckled lightly to myself when I saw the painting of me studying on my bed, lying on my stomach with my hair tied to a ponytail that fell on the other side of my neck, making sure that it wasn't covering my face which was lit up in the most beautiful smile I have ever seen in myself.

"You really do look like yourself in that one. I'm actually quite proud of myself." I turned to the direction of the voice to see one of the most perfect images I have ever seen in my life: Percy Jackson who just got of bed.

Okay, so maybe it doesn't sound like much but I'm pretty sure that when you're in my place, you would have been impressed too. Even when he just looked like he rolled out of the bed and crawled to the bathroom door without bothering to use his feet, he still looked so annoyingly handsome that I was sure would make most of the guys jealous to the bone. "Why hello, there, Mr. Jackson." I greeted with a teasing smile, "Would you be so kind and hand me my towel before I freeze?"

He laughed and reached out to the rack and did as I told him, placing his lips to my hand. "Hmm… so beautiful."

I rolled my eyes, "Shut up, Perce. I've looked better."

"I dare argue with that, Annie." I glared at him at the use of my most hated nickname. "You've never looked hotter than when you're naked and dripping with water."

So, a regular person would have smacked him in the head for the comment but I just couldn't help but blush and cover myself up before he say another thing regarding our current situation. I carefully stepped out of the shower and headed to the sink, brushing my hair and wringing it out to drain the water. Who was I to argue with his opinions of me? It wasn't in my position to force him to change his mind.

As I reached him by the door, I placed a soft kiss on his bare shoulder for that was the only place that I could have reached at the moment. It was quite annoying at times when I realize how tall he truly was and that I no more than reached a little past his shoulders whenever I stand straight. He just smiled and pressed his lips to my temple.

The doors of the walk-in closet closed behind me and I finally let the towel fall to the ground, exposing me to the cool morning air that was somehow trapped inside the room. My fingers thoroughly felt each fabric, searching for the best thing to wear for such a day as this, something to keep me comfortable in any weather.

I couldn't help the smile that graced my face when I saw the simple white summer dress that Silena gave me on my fifteenth birthday. Never once have I found the right occasion to wear this attire but it was the best thing that I could have ever asked for at the moment. And right now, I wasn't arguing.

"Okay, so maybe I have to argue with myself on this one." I heard someone say from behind me, immediately recognizing that the voice belonged to Percy. He really should stop sneaking up on me like that. "Annabeth, you have never looked more beautiful than how you look now."

I squealed when I felt the strong, tanned arms wrap around my waist, his perfect lips placing soft kisses along my neck. "Thank you, Seaweed Brain." I muttered honestly, turning to face him with grace that could compare to a ballerina.

After five minutes of waiting for my boyfriend to get dressed, I immediately pulled him towards the door, tugging on his hand to make him go faster. I was hungry, no one can blame me. And he was laughing as he struggled to keep up with me, the sound music to my ears. At times, our eyes would meet and I would always see the love and praise behind those mesmerizing sea-green orbs.

"What took you so long?" Thalia asked once we reached the living room, seeing them- once again- huddled around the giant flat screened TV. "Annabeth, you've always been the early riser." There was something behind that statement, I could feel it.

Before I could respond, Percy detached himself from me and took the seat next to Nico, gesturing for me to join him. Of course, I couldn't argue because I really did want to be as close to him as humanly possible. It makes me feel as if there was someone living my life with me and going through the same bad things and good things as I am.

"I know what you're trying to say, Thalia." I mused, trying to cover up the laugh that was beginning to show. "And the answer to that question just happens to be a phone call last night."

Her eyes were questioning, curious. It reminded me of how she looked while we were still children. I turned to face them without ever breaking contact to the man I love. "Luke called last night." I explained further, "He was drunk and I guess he had nothing else to do. He told me if I was still with Percy and that was when Seaweed Brain took the phone. It was actually very terrifying to see them fight _over the phone._"

Everyone sent worried glances towards him. It was just a reassurance for them that would indicate that he was fine and only a little shaken. It was actually quite devastating for me in general to see him suffer so much over a person who I never even cared about that much. Beside me, I felt him sigh.

"I'm sorry if I scared you." His gaze was somewhere else, staring at the opposite window as if he found the wallpaper so interesting. "It was just so frustrating to have him trying to take you again after almost breaking us apart permanently. I just needed to take my anger out somehow."

Since he refused to stay in his seat as he explained, he ended up facing the window with wistful eyes. And my heart ached at the sight, seeing him so hurt and affected by my mistakes so easily. "I understand."

That was when he lost his calm and punched the wall with such strength that a hole was left in its place, making me sprint to his side. His green pools were closed, his hands in fists. The left one had a deep cut that dripped so much blood it surprised me. There were tears now for I almost thought that he actually got over the conversation. He was so happy when we woke up. His hatred for Luke wouldn't have been so strong that he actually hurt himself at the process.

I directed him towards the empty loveseat, forcing him to sit so that it would be easier for me to examine the wound. Eventually, after the sick feeling in my stomach subsided, I gathered my voice to order my friends to grab the first-aid kit from the upstairs bathroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jason run towards the stairs to fetch what I asked for.

"You should have done that, Percy." I scolded, stretching out his fingers so that they lay face down on my lap. "You could have broken your wrist." He sighed and propped his head on his hand, muttering profanities under his breath. "And now, we have a hole in the wall to worry about."

Behind me, I heard heavy footsteps that probably brought the small almost transparent box containing the only thing that could possibly help my boyfriend in this situation. Thankfully, I was used to doing these things because of the fact that I was friends with people who get injured constantly. Instead of always bringing them to the nurse's office, I learned to tend to their wounds myself.

The bad news was that I wasn't used to this kind of injury so it was quite frustrating when I got the bandage wrapped wrong or that he kept on moving. I even screamed at him to keep still once when I lost all of my patience. How was I supposed to know that being a doctor was hard? I don't plan on being one. I'd rather build houses for the rest of my existence than saving lives for a living. I never knew that Will Solace's job was hard. I should really learn to appreciate him more.

_Finally!_ I thought, relieved, when I finished successfully the wrapping. To teach him his lesson, I tightened it more than necessary. I needed to make sure that he wasn't going to do that again, for my sake at least. He winced but showed no weakness.

"If you're planning to do this again, I'm not going to help." This probably has been the worst thing I have ever said to him but I couldn't help myself. It was just too difficult for me to handle situations where I know he was hurt and the only way he was going to be cured was for him to get hurt more. I just can't help myself when I see the look on his face. "I'm serious, Percy Jackson, so don't go begging to me when you have a boo-boo that I'm supposed to kiss."

His eyes flashed for a second but it was gone before I could even process what it meant, making me feel even guiltier than I already was. He then stood suddenly and walked out of the door, straight towards the beach just to think of a reason to stay. If it wasn't for me, he would have already killed himself with all the problems in his life. "He's going through a lot already, Annabeth. I know you're only doing what you think is right but Percy doesn't deserve to have someone else mad at him when he already has a rival in terms of love." Silena mused sadly, reaching out to touch my hand that still had a few marks of Percy's blood. "You should talk to him. He's worrying about your relationship and you can't give him any more reasons to feel as if he's not wanted anymore."

I shared one meaningful glance with my best friends before agreeing to go after him. Surprisingly, he wasn't by the beach like I thought but by the stables where he kept a few pet horses. He was actually smiling as he stroked the black stallion's mane and it was such a beautiful sight to see a majestic creature bend to him as if he was a servant to his master.

"I'm sorry, Seaweed Brain." I muttered, trying to ignore the upcoming sobs that were so close from escaping. "I really, truly am. I just sorta got mad at Luke for doing this to you and I just took it out on you. It was my mistake. You should know that I would always be here for you…"

Before I could finish my statement, he pulled me into a gentle kiss right in front of his pets. And I melted into his arms like I usually do. To be honest, I have never been more at home than when I am in my boyfriend's company. He was my home. He always will be. "I love you, Annabeth. Remember that."

"I know, I know." I muttered, finally letting the tears escape. "I love you, too."

**Please Review! I really, really need the feedback. **

**Oh, and to those people who DID review, THANKS SO MUCH. It is very much appreciated. Please keep it up. Thanks for the support!**


	32. Chapter 31

How would a normal person react if he or she sees something a sight so beautiful that would usually make your heart melt? What if I tell that person that what I am seeing right at this moment is ten times better?

Let me explain.

It was the day after I first saw the horses and our relationship has grown stronger than it already was, making it so much harder for our friends- and our enemies- to separate us especially when they specifically just only needed one. Once, when Jason and Nico wanted to talk to Percy alone, I insisted on tagging along because someone might take advantage of my moment of weakness even if it's just for a few minutes. I know, I am overreacting but how am I supposed to keep him if so many people are trying to take him.

So, after breakfast, he told me that we were going swimming. Of course, I couldn't argue because I'm willing to take every single chance I get to see him half-naked even when I got order him to strip right in front of me at night. There was something about being in public that makes it intriguing.

"Where are we going?" I asked, taking his outstretched hand and running after him through the green.

"You'll find out soon. But we're going to swim there." The devious smile that was already on his face grew wider when he saw the look that was struggling to show itself to the world.

Okay, maybe he hasn't considered fully about my swimming capability for I wasn't as good as him. Maybe I wouldn't last as long as he would so he's going to end up dragging me towards the place because he couldn't stand my whining. I almost laughed at the thought, in both in embarrassment and absolute humor. If ever that does happens, I'm pretty sure he won't have any problem with it.

The more I think about it, the less it made sense. Where in the world are we to go that requires swimming so much? Does he plan to bring me to like Africa or something? No, that makes even lesser sense. Even with his talent, he couldn't dare _swim_ to Africa. It was too unrealistic.

Soon afterwards, we reached the beach. I raised an eyebrow to his direction and he just chuckled lightly, the smile that lingered made him even more perfect than he already is. I bit my bottom lip to keep myself from drooling and to wake me up from my daydream. Thankfully, he didn't see that. "You ready?" he asked, the glint in his eyes never disappearing. It was mostly of excitement but I can't really pinpoint the other emotions. "Don't worry, it isn't far."

We were waist-deep in the water now and the morning breeze made my exposed skin feel colder. I took one look at him and he reassured me by just looking at me. I took his outstretched hand, taking a tentative step closer to him. "Let's go."

My heart skipped a beat at the sight. This was unlike any other thing I have seen before. It was honestly too beautiful for me to see, just like the person who showed me this place. And I choked on my words, unable to say anything at all. The only sounds I could make to assure him that I haven't died were my usual gasps and continuous blinking. Of course, this wasn't real. This was just a hallucination, something I was just seeing for myself. When I snap out of it and return to the world, we would be in a normal cave where the only magic- stronger than anything else, mind you- was the two of us together.

I pinched myself.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw the exact same thing. The brightly shining gems embedded on the arched, uneven walls. And behind me, I could hear the waves crashing lightly against the rock surface. And when I looked how far we were, I realized that it was no more than what seemed to be a kilometer away from the beach. I didn't know we swam so far in only ten minutes.

"What do you think?" he finally said, looking at me with the most hopeful eyes I have ever seen in my life. Seeing my reaction, he immediately mistook it for something else entirely. "Oh, I understand if you don't like it. I was just… thinking that maybe showing you this might have made you happier. We could always go back though." A flash of heartbroken sadness showed itself on his face and he looked down to the ground momentarily.

I placed a hand on his chest, right over his heart. "That's where you're wrong, Seaweed Brain." I told him, my lips finding his neck. "I love it. It's so beautiful."

He smiled a perfect smile, pulling me closer to him than he already was. And I sighed happily as I breathed in the scent of him, reminding myself that there was at least one person in my life who would never leave my side. It was a reassuring thought that made me want to stay in our now new happy place for what seemed to be longer than necessary.

We spent the rest of the morning on the cave ground, tangled in each other's arms and talking about the future and how much we look forward to spending it together. And sometimes, whenever I would get the chance, I would talk to him about starting a family. I knew it was a dream that was yet to come true and I knew that it was still a long way ahead but I found it very comfortable just letting go of all my dreams to him. After all, he was the only one who listens.

"Does anyone else know about this?" the thought just came to me and I was worried if he did, that this wasn't something we would share like the others.

Percy chuckled and stared at me with those bright green eyes. "You are the only person I brought here. And the only person I will bring here. I swear that to you."

Those words hit me harder than anything else, making tears of absolute joy escape my eyes. And I didn't care if I turned to this emotional fool ever since we started dating. He was the only guy who deserves my tears, deserves to be cried over. The best part about this is that the tears I usually shed for him is out of happiness. "I don't know what I did to deserve you but I do know that I will do everything just to keep you. You're my life, Percy, and I know it's cliché but I don't care. I love you more than anything else in this world. I love you more than architecture, or biology, or history. I love you."

The confession made him smile wider, his eyes turning glassy with tears that were yet to be shed. And I didn't mind that he was crying. It reassured me that this person in front of me still has that soft side to him. "I think it's the other way around." He whispered to me, his lips pressing against mine with all the emotion in the world. "You deserve so much more than me, Wise Girl. But I can be anyone you want me to be. I love you too much to let you go and the pain of it when you do leave me would lead me to suicide before the day would be over. Just tell me what you want and I'd give it to you."

I choked on the words, placing my hand on his cheek. "I want you. I want to be with you. I don't want you to be anyone else _but _you."

As I laid my head on Percy's lap, his fingers stroking my hair lightly out of complete instinct, I stared at the uneven ceiling. This place, this beautiful place, has drawn out the best in us and intensified it to something much more fitting to our relationship, giving us the chance to admit how we _truly _feel about each other, expounding more on our current knowledge.

"If I tell you that, after college, we could stay here and live here for the rest of our lives, how would you react?" He has this mischievous glint in his eyes that immediately got me swooning mentally. I love that smile on him.

It took me at least three to five minutes to fully understand the question, making him smirk at my rare obliviousness. "Are you serious?" I finally asked

"I do own the house, Annabeth. I can do whatever I want with it."

My face momentarily contorted to shock, changing almost instantly to pure and utter excitement. "Then we have so much to look forward to." I kissed him for effect, running my hand through his hair.

Thalia was waiting by the door once we returned. It was actually quite amusing how she just stared at our bruised lips without saying a word. Thankfully, she didn't even question where we were but focused more on why we weren't here any sooner. It was just that side of her that needed to protect me, even when I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. She just likes the feeling of being an older sister to not only Jason but to me as well. "We were worried about you."

"Sorry, Thals. Just got caught up in the moment." Percy flashed an innocent smile that I knew she didn't believe at all but let us enter the house.

All conversation stopped the moment we stepped foot on the living room floor, my closest friends staring at us as if we just came from another planet. But it was gone as abruptly as it came when Travis Stoll took everybody's attention by wolf whistling very loud, then laughter followed- in which we specifically joined- and their stern expressions softened as they welcomed us back from our three hour disappearance.

Just to keep us busy, we watched multiple movies that we know we're going to enjoy, ranging from comedy to horror. Sometimes, I would sneak in kisses without anyone noticing, surprising him when he finds my mouth connected to his. And I laughed at the look on his face when we pulled away, making my friends look at me with questioning eyes because the timing was bad. They must have thought that I was laughing at the movie but the scene wasn't even funny. In fact, it was so sad it was tear worthy. "What are you laughing at?" Piper asked, curious.

"It's nothing. I just remembered a joke Seaweed Brain told me a while ago. Right, Perce?"

He laughed softly and nodded, kissing the top of my head for effect.

When the ending credits rolled in, we all headed directly to the kitchen to get food in our stomachs. It was already about 5:45 and I barely ate lunch so Percy and I had the most reason to the fact that we practically inhaled whatever Katie cooked for us. In all honesty, it was actually a quite impressive meal considering the fact that she only made it in like… what, twenty minutes?

And we spent the rest of the day being who we are without the fear of being judge. And I never thought that I would ever be part of a family who loves me so much.

I truly am a very lucky person.

**Okay, I am very sorry if it's shorter than the chapters i usually write but i don't think if i continue, it wouldn't make any more sense.**

**I'm very, very sorry for the late update. I was just focused on school and everything so I don't get to go often.**

**Please review, guys. The more you review, the sooner i update. Please, Please, please! Oh and thanks for those who did review. Luv you all!**


	33. Chapter 32

**So, after an extremely long and frustrating wait, I have finally decided to update my story. And I'm just saying how much time and effort I added on this chapter even though it is mostly fluff and stuff. Anyways, I'm still very sorry that I didn't get to update any sooner and I wish you all the best!:)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

Did you know that I absolutely adore Fridays? You didn't? Well now, I will officially disprove that fact. I freaking loathe Fridays, not because it indicates that the weekends are almost a day away but because it reminds me of those days where I will be alone in my house, thinking if my friends were alright just because I was grounded. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part is that I was constantly shouted at by my mother for getting a B+ on History. That is the only time in the entire week where she gets the chance to do that. The memories haunt me. They always will.

But Percy has always been with me through those days, holding me in his arms just because he can. He knew what used to happen to me. He knew that I wasn't comfortable being alone especially when I see something that reminds me of that tyrant who called herself my mother. I was glad that I wasn't with her anymore.

"You really should talk to me about this. I don't like seeing you so vulnerable. I'm just not used to it." My boyfriend muttered, his eyes locked on mine just to tell me that he would listen and that he was sincere.

I just flashed him a smile and pressed my lips to his cheek. "I'm fine, honestly. Just need to take my mind off things. I just have too much in my mind right now."

Surprisingly, he chuckled. After all the years that I have heard his laugh, it is still very much music to my ears. "You think too much" was the only thing he said. I smiled at the look on his eyes and glint in his eyes. He has this talent of making me feel better even when he doesn't know. "But I don't really mind."

This time, it was my turn to laugh. "Come on, we have to go before they would start looking for us. And they might get the wrong idea if they see us in this position." I traced my hand on his chest and grinned suggestively, making his heart beat a little faster. Ah yes, the effect I have on him… truly amazing.

"I sometimes don't get you. You were so depressed and then now you're trying to seduce me." He moved on top of me and started kissing my neck, his strong arm around my waist. "That's one of the things I like about you. So sexy."

I groaned when he started sucking on a sweet spot, my hands moving to his back and my nose breathing in that scent of him I've always been fond of. My eyes closed in absolute pleasure and my entire well-being felt as if I'm about to explode. I gasped and tugged his black locks, making him stare at me with those captivating green orbs.

Our lips met in a hungry kiss, moving in absolute ecstasy and longing. And I wanted no more than to tear all his clothes off and feel him again. But I can't, not when my friends can easily open the door. There was no privacy in this house. I have to keep reminding myself that. "I love you." I moaned, feeling his fingers thread through my blonde hair. It was the most relaxing and the most arousing thing he has ever done to me and I didn't know if I could take it anymore. "Percy," I whined, "I want you."

"I know you do. I want you too but Thalia can see us. She'll get curious and walk in on us. I don't want that. This is something only we can share. Locking the door won't keep her out. I love you but we can't. Not now." I let out a strangled noise out of complaint. Of course he was right but I can't really help myself if I want him just as much as I did before. He was absolutely irresistible and he might be the death of me someday.

Just to distract me from the needy feeling in my gut, I started thinking of complicated trig problems. It was the only thing I needed to do to keep me from wanting him and right now, it was still working. I steadied my heart beat and controlled my breathing, the emotion dying down until it was barely visible in my eyes. And he smiled as he kissed me again, matching my control. "You just have to wait for a short time till they leave. When we get the chance, Wise Girl, I promise."

I sighed but nodded, sitting up and stretching my arms. "The good thing is that you made me forget about how much I hate Fridays."

He stopped playing with my fingers just to look at me, narrowing his eyebrows in surprise. He may know that I am going to act this way but he will never understand the reason as to _why _I was. "I'm not going to ask you. I know you'll tell me when you're ready." He said simply, placing both hands on my waist and, with one tug, I was already on his lap.

We stayed in that position for more than ten minutes, just staring at each other and thinking of the many things that we did to deserve the person in front of us. And sometimes, when I get lucky, I would hear him mutter the most beautiful words to my ear, making me sigh and pull him tighter to me.

And then the moment was ruined.

"ANNABETH!" Thalia screamed from below, making us jump apart in absolute surprise. And I crawled back to him, missing his warmth that has gotten me through so many cold nights. "Annabeth Cassandra Chase! I swear to God if you don't go down here this instant I will come up there and drag you!"

Much to my dismay, instead of yelling back to his cousin, Percy just started laughing. Of course, in any other occasion I would have been glaring daggers but all I could do was blush and bury my face deeper into his muscled torso. "You should go." He whispered to my ear, kissing the side of my face. "She might go up here and see what she's not supposed to see."

"But we're not doing anything!" I complained, making a face at him. "Let her come up for all I care. I'm not leaving."

He just sighed at my stubbornness and started tracing patterns on my back, sometimes twirling his fingers on my hair. The sound I made at the action was very embarrassing, especially considering the fact that he wasn't even doing anything. The worse thing is, it didn't even pass through his ears. He heard it as if it was any other moan I created from, let's say, a massage or a kiss.

Again, the moment was ruined.

Thalia slammed the door open, making both of us look to her direction. Thankfully, we weren't making-out or anything when she saw us but she did notice the fact that my boyfriend's shirt was nowhere to be seen. I had to explain the whole thing, how Percy liked sleeping shirtless because the night was hot and because he can. But she didn't seem to believe me.

My so-called "best friend" literally dragged me out of the room, causing me to whine and complain the entire time. And sadly, the man I trust to keep me there didn't even try to take me back. He just laughed at my situation which made me curse at him for being so oblivious. And it made him laugh more. "Thalia!" I called, trying to slow her down by grabbing on to the hand rails of the staircase. "Could you at least listen to me?"

That didn't stop her from almost pulling my arm off. Why does she want to see me so bad? I mean, nothing could be more important right now than being with my boyfriend right? "Tell me" I pushed, causing her to hesitate for a single moment before continuing her ministrations. "Please, you can't always pull me away from where I belong."

"You don't belong there, Annabeth." She muttered, "You never belonged there." This got me confused. What was she talking about? How could she know how I feel when I am the one living my life? She can't tell me where to go or who to love. "Trust me in this one."

"No." I finally had the strength to pull my arm away from her vise-like grip. Thalia groaned and looked at me with a different kind of fire burning in her eyes. "What's wrong, Thals? Tell me what's wrong."

Somehow, she managed to have a hold on me again. But gladly, Percy realized that this wasn't the usual "I need to talk to you" conversations. No, she was seriously trying to get me away from him and to some other place as much as possible. "Where are you bringing her, Thalia?"

I've never been happier in my life to have my boyfriend so strong. He carefully pried me away from my captor and held me in his arms. "Answer me, Grace." He all but growled, moving me so that I was behind him. I fisted my hands in his shirt, trying to look away from the impending fight that was raging between the cousins.

"It's Luke." She finally said, her gaze falling to the ground in shame and guilt and pain. "He told me to get Annabeth and promised that we three could be together again. Of course, I didn't want that, not when my life with Nico is so much better, but he promised total loyalty to the three of us, a possible relationship between him and me. And I've always been so crazy about him that he got me to agree."

Percy's voice was deadly calm. "Where is he?" he asked, his sea-green eyes darkening until it was pitch black.

"I don't want a fight between you two, especially after what happened. He's about a mile away by now, waiting for me at the place we used to go to when we were children. I suggest you don't go, Perce. You might get hurt and that's the last thing all of us want." Her eyes were pleading, terrified. And I've never seen my best friend so lost and confused and hurt in her entire life. Luke has always made her weak, made her defenseless. This was no exception.

It was quite obvious that I didn't want him to fight either. As much as I want that traitor in the hospital, I can't afford to see my boyfriend beside him in a much worse condition. If ever they do end up fighting, I would be the one in the middle, receiving each and every blow to the heart twice as painful as any other physical injury. Because I've always hated seeing them hurt. I loved them both so much. But I also learned that I loved one of them more. "Seaweed Brain," I mused, my hand on his cheek and my eyes locked to his. "Don't go."

He snapped out of his trance just to look at me, his glare softening until it was nonexistent. "Go to our room and lock the door." He ordered softly, kissing the top of my head once. "Please."

I was very reluctant but I agreed. If ever he changes his mind and does choose to fight Luke, I'm sure that I'm going to hear from Thalia the moment he left. But I doubt he would betray me like that, especially when he knows that it hurts me more than it hurts him. "I love you and I trust you. Don't do anything stupid." I told him, pressing my lips insistently to his. "For me."

He nodded and caressed the side of my face. "I love you, too."

The moment I reached our bed, I immediately buried myself under the covers, trying to block out as much of the screams from downstairs as possible. I even went as far as to plug my ears and deafen them with music to take my mind off the fact that the two people I love dearly are arguing with each other right now just because the guy who betrayed me was trying to take me back.

The sound of the door being slammed shut got my attention. I immediately turned my phone off and headed downstairs to investigate, seeing Thalia pacing in front of the fireplace. "Where's Percy?"

"He went to the beach to get some air. And don't worry, Nico's with him so he wouldn't run." She still looked like something was bothering her.

I placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, stopping her every movement and taking all of her attention. "Tell me, please. What's wrong?"

Alarmingly, she started sobbing on my neck. And I froze in absolute horror at the sight. Never once in my life have I seen her cry. Not even when she broke her leg riding a bike or when she found out that her brother was sold to another woman. No. Thalia Grace is the strongest girl I know and seeing her so broken just got me angrier at the person who made her like this in the first place.

"Seeing Luke again," she croaked, "Seeing him so different made me realize that it was useless trying to get his attention after everything. He has his eyes on you, Annabeth. He's always loved you more than he loved me. He cared for you more. And I'm just jealous because I've known him longer. You're always going to be better than me in every single way possible. We both know that I loved him more than anything before. But when I've finally moved on from getting my heart broken, he comes back and begs _both _of us to come with him. And it's very painful, seeing in his eyes that he sees me as no more than a friend- a friend who he can trust to keep secrets and tell him that he's perfect. I'll never be like you."

Okay, to say that I was surprise would be an understatement. I never knew that Luke Castellan loves me now as much as I loved him before. I never knew that Thalia still feels the same way about him even when she's with Nico. I never knew that someone who can _never _have an emotional breakdown just did. And I was just frozen as she cried real tears. I can't believe this.

"Do you really feel like that, huh, Thalia?" this came from behind me, said in a voice so familiar. And I refused to look because I knew that I will regret it. "Do you really love him more than you love me?"

The girl in my arms shot her head upwards and met her boyfriend's gaze, her heart beating so much faster than it should. "What? Nico? I never said that!"

The boy just laughed an evil laugh, scaring both me and her at the same time. "You're lying. I could feel it. Of course you are. Who would love me? Who would find me attractive compared to Percy Jackson or Jason Grace? It's too good to be true. I should have never thought that our relationship would last. I should have known what you were thinking the moment I saw it." He paused, making the atmosphere tenser by the moment. "You know what, if that's how you feel, then just be it. I'm sick and tired of playing your games, Thalia, and I'd rather not put myself up to any more hurt. We're over!"

Everyone held their breath as Nico stormed out, followed by a very distressed Percy and a confused Jason. If there would be anyone in this house who would keep him from doing anything stupid, it would be them. Meanwhile, the girls and I pulled Thalia to a hug she deserved, soothing her from yet another emotional breakdown just when the last one ended. It would be impossible for Thalico to break-up, especially when there was absolutely nothing wrong with their relationship in the first place. But maybe, Nico already had his doubts about her loyalty. Maybe he was just looking for a reason to confirm all of his theories. And what Thalia said just moments ago was everything that he needed.

Once she started crying, she can never be stopped. Even with me there to comfort her. Even with everyone else to comfort her. And everyone told her that Nico was just tired and angry because of the entire Luke thing and he just needed to cool off. We all couldn't say that he never deserved her because they clearly are very much perfect for each other. It was just the trust problems that kept them apart.

"I can't believe Luke could do such a thing. He already caused two very strong relationships to crumble, making two couples who have known each other for a very long time to doubt the loyalty that they promised. But we can't let him do that again to another. We need to stop him, tell him to leave." This was Piper's suggestion, surprising her sister more than anyone else.

I broke the awkward silence. "Piper's right. We can't afford a THIRD break-up, especially when everyone has finally learned to work together. Someone needs to talk to him, or even tell him to just leave us alone."

"I can do it." Chris volunteered, nodding reassuringly at Clarisse, "I've known him since I was a baby. He listens to me and maybe I could tell him to go and not bother us anymore."

We all agreed to the plan and wished him the best of luck, especially when working with someone as stubborn as Luke Castellan. Though it was still quite terrifying how two of the strongest people here just had an emotional breakdown, we got them to stop. But it was still easier to do so to Nico than to Thalia. And even through then, we didn't force her. She needed to let her pain out. And it's already been almost sixteen years since she cried- the last time before this was when she was a baby. It was healthy to whine every once in a while.

The guys had no luck in convincing Nico that it wasn't Thalia's fault and that she was just under Luke's spell again. Sadly, I understood why he couldn't be pushed. Who would want to take back the person they loved after she just broke your heart by saying that she loved someone else more? My logical side told me that it was smart for him to let go. But my emotions tell me that they should be together. *Sigh*. Why can't my heart and mind just get along for once?

And as I said, I never enjoyed Fridays.

**Thanks for those who reviewed! Please keep it up. I really need the support and your opinions to make this story better. **


	34. Chapter 33

**I'm so very sorry that it's so short but it's going to make sense.**

It has been very tense the next few days, seeing that Nico and Thalia cannot stay in the same room now that they refuse to talk to each other. Of course, she wanted to at least apologize but he wouldn't give her the chance. The moment she opens her mouth to him, he would just leave as if it never happened. And it wasn't only their relationship that was slowly breaking apart. Since Percy was always busy trying to stop his close friend from drowning himself, we never really had more time together. It was getting frustrating and I really missed having him beside me always. But I needed to be there for my best friend. I should at least give her that.

But that wasn't the worst part.

Chris failed in convincing Luke to leave us alone and now, the traitor was more persistent in trying to get me back. And I would just get anonymous calls on my phone to hear the same taunting voice on the other line. Not only was it terrifying but it was strangely tempting. My instinct tells me that I should just leave Percy and run to Luke because what would he give me? He would only spoil me until I was fully depending on him. Who would want to be the annoying brat who just whines when she doesn't get what she wanted. If I stay with Seaweed Brain, it will never help me grow more as a person.

Oh God, what am I saying? I love Percy Jackson. I love him more than anything in my life. If I stay with him, then he would not only give me what I need but also help me become the best that I could be. He would continuously support me and help me get up when I fall. He would fight for me and die for me. What was I thinking when I said that I was better off with that heart breaker? I will stay in this relationship where it is so much safer for my emotions.

"I really wish that Thalia and Nico can just see the light and go back together again. It's annoying how they deny the fact that they still love each other." I muttered, my chin resting lightly on his bare chest.

He just sighed and wrapped his arm around my waist. "Nico lost his trust on Thalia. He's always doubted her ever since she called Luke so many weeks ago and then he just kinda snapped when he heard that she still had feelings for him, after everything that he did."

It was useless trying to convince him of what I want to happen when he has so many facts to counter it. It was true that Thalia did something wrong but Nico should be at least open to mistakes and realize that they are _made _for each other. Plus, the people currently staying in this beach house learned the hard way that they are with each other for a reason. We support and defend this family. If they're not going to be together that way, then okay. But they should at least be friends again.

"How are we going to set them up? It's impossible to convince them and they're not stupid to fall for a trick." I groaned in frustration, sitting up and burying my fingers in my hair.

He didn't answer for an entire minute, just staring at me. "Let them be. They can figure this out themselves."

The moment he finished the statement, my phone rang. I didn't even bother look at the caller ID to know that it was another of Luke's attempts to convince me to join his side. Of course, I decided to ignore it seeing that it was of absolutely no use trying to tell him that I will never go with him. I gave up. It was useless and I refuse to waste my energy and my time with someone that cannot be pushed.

Thankfully, my boyfriend understood.

Percy acted as if he was hearing nothing. He just continued staring at the ceiling, his face morphed into that when he is thinking. I rarely see it but I still do. And you could almost see that he more on considering the possibilities than anything. It was almost as if he was more affected than I am, seeing that he feels twice as much what I feel. And I should help me recover; help him remember that he and I just need to be together.

But right now, Luke is out of my life. He's just a person from my past that still haunts me in the present. I should just regard him as a memory that has made me stronger. It is his burden to carry when he calls me constantly. I would just ignore him and allow the person who _truly _loves me to just love me.

Like every day, I would go to Thalia's room and try to talk her into being with Nico again. Of course, she is too proud to apologize and that is one of the things that I constantly hate about her. She should at least think of what she's doing first. Sometimes, she could be so much worse than her cousin. Even when I know that I'm going to fail, I still try because I know it's for her best. She's so miserable without him and I can't stand it. They should always be together. Always.

"Please, just this once. And then, you can go back to being yourself. We all know that you can't live without him. He's your life. He's just as important to you as Percy is to me. We both know you're not happy and the Thalia I know will only do things that would make her happy."

For the first time, she actually responded. She usually doesn't and if ever she does, it would usually just be a nod or a sigh. This time, it was an actual sentence and I was glad for it. "You don't understand, Annabeth. He broke up with me! He probably doesn't want me back. If it's possible, I should have just been with Luke in the first place. At least he would accept me."

"That's where you're wrong, Thals. Nico, he's hurt and doubtful. He needs someone to reassure him that you still love him like you did before. Like you still do. Why can't we just move on from Luke, like before? We coped without him so well in the past so why can't we do it again?"

My best friend just glared. "No, you don't understand. It was easier last time because we thought he _permanently _left us. Now, we can't move on because he's currently trying to take us back. You don't know how scared I am to think that he can finally find something that would make me betray you, like he did to us."

"Look, he's just adding some drama to your life. You need some kind of obstacle to test if you're relationship is strong enough. And right now, you just failed." I let out a dark chuckle just to prove my point, scaring both me and her at the same time.

"I love him. I really do. It's just that, he doesn't trust me anymore." She had the decency to wipe the tears that were now dripping from her eyes, making me even guiltier for coming here in the first place. "And I'd rather that I get hurt than see him trying to be with me after what I did."

Suddenly, as if by fate, Nico just happened to pass by with Jason and Percy at his stride, trying to keep up with his too fast pace. And he heard the entire confession. He was now currently standing by the doorway, tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. "I've been waiting for you to say that." He mused confidently, ignoring the fact that he was currently showing weakness through his tears. "And for the past few days, all I could think about was how much I hurt you. I was overreacting. I should have trusted you more, known that you would never do that to me again. I was jealous of him. I knew that he had a place in your heart that was probably bigger than mine and it just got the best of me."

"You can't think that after everything we've been through, I still loved him more than I love you. I may not show it as much but I do, Nico. So much. Luke was just the person that I trusted so much when I was a kid and it's on instinct for me to love him. But I gave you my heart the moment we first started being together. He can't have a much bigger piece of it when you already have everything."

I just smiled at how much they cared, carefully walking towards the door to give them their privacy. And my body just headed directly to my boyfriend's waiting arms, feeling them around my waist and keeping me close. "So we're officially forgetting about Luke's existence?"

"Yes because he's just a ghost to me now. And from now on, we're not going to mention his name in this house ever again. It would keep the relationships strong."

Percy just laughed once, kissing the top of my head. "I could always trust you with the plan. And I think I agree with you there. It's for the best."

Maybe it is for the best- forgetting Luke, forgetting my relationship with him. But I can't completely forget about him. The only thing I kept in my mind is his real smile and laugh and all of the good things he has done to me and to Thalia. And it helped me realize that he just needed the attention that he lacked, needed it but found the worst way to search for it.

But people can change. They always do.

**Please, guys, review. It will mean a lot. Thanks for all the support!:)))**


	35. Chapter 34: Epilogue

The days pass by and ever since Nico and Thalia got together again, Luke never called. Maybe he finally realized that we weren't to be bothered. I was glad that I can finally live my summer in peace. I'm still young and there's so much in life that I haven't tried yet. Maybe if I let something go, I can have more space to add something better to my life.

As I sat on the slightly moist sand, staring at the rolling waves and setting sun, I finally noticed how much of my life I have wasted being the person I wasn't supposed to be. My mother pushed me into something, told me that I would be better off without love or friends. But, as I said, I'm still young. I can easily catch up and learn from those many days of wistful thinking.

I felt someone sit beside me and I immediately sighed in absolute ecstasy when I felt the same strong arm around me. "How's life, Wise Girl?"

My lips let out a small chuckle, "You should know. I live mine with you now, remember."

He just laughed and kissed the side of my face, burying his nose on my hair. "We still have two months to waste. What do you plan to do?"

I just smiled and looked at the place where all of my friends are, talking and laughing and just enjoying the company. "I don't really know. I think I already learned not to plan everything ahead. Plus, as long as I'm with you, I'm happy." It was quite corny but I didn't mind. It was how I felt. It needed to be said.

"Maybe you're right." he mused, sighing, "I love you, Annabeth, I love you so much."

My grey eyes met his green ones, "I love you, too."

It may have been four years since I grew the courage to tell him how I feel but maybe it gave me more time to prepare for what is in store for me. There's pain and there's happiness. And it constantly changes. But he is always there. He will always be there.

I'm happy. We're happy. And I'm not going to let anyone else ruin that for me.

**Last chapter! Don't worry, I'll make a sequel. And I'm planning the sequel to still be during Summer vacation in the beach house. But i do need help with the title and the plot. Tell me what you think! Please, I need all the help that I can get. **

**Plus, we all know that I have to end the story somehow. Though it was quite abrupt, I just felt that it's time to just finish it. Thanks guys for the continuous support.:)**


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